Notice to Lessees (NTLs)

This national NTL eliminates the expiration dates on certain existing NTLs published on the BSEE website.  This NTL also clarifies that, until BSEE revises, reissues, or withdraws the published NTLs, they will continue to apply regardless of any stated expiration dates.

Clarifies policy that prior NTLs will not automatically expire until BSEE issues a superseding NTL, or the NTL is expressly revised or withdrawn.  Existing NTLs will continue in effect regardless of their expiration date.

This NTL provides new addresses for the New Orleans and Houma District offices (Office of District Field Operations) as well as the address and contact information for the recently formed Measurement Inspection Office (Office of Production and Development).

Provides new address and telephone information for the Houma and New Orleans District Offices, and the Measurement Inspection Unit.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators and Pipeline Right-of-Way Holders (NTL) is intended for owners or operators of oil handling, storage, or transportation facilities located seaward of the coast line. It clarifies what the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) considers a significant change in your Oil Spill Response Plan (OSRP) worst case discharge (WCD) scenario that requires you to submit a revised OSRP for BSEE approval.

Clarifies what BSEE considers a significant change in Oil Spill Response Plans (OSRPs) and worst case discharge (WCD) scenario that requires lessees and operators to submit a revised OSRP.

This NTL provides you with specific instructions for requesting reimbursement when you provide meals, quarters, and transportation to BSEE representatives inspecting your lease facilities and operations.

Describes how lessees and operators may request reimbursement for meals, lodging, and transportation provided to BSEE inspectors and enforcement personnel.

This NTL is intented to provide clarification about the type of information you may provide for compliance with written follow-up report requirements in 30 CFR 254.46(b)(2).

Clarifies what types of information should be provided to BSEE in in written, follow up reports for oil spills or releases from platforms, vessels, or pipelines, schedules for submitting information.

Provides guidance and information on preparing and submitting regional Oil Spill Response Plans for owners and operators of oil handling, storage, or transportation facilities located seaward of the coast line.

Offers guidance on procedures to follow when required to install flare/vent meters at your facility.  Clarifies that current regulations do not mandate metering of lease use gas and that estimates of lease gas volumes may be reported as such.

Guidance on how to implement monitoring programs to minimize risks of vessel strikes of protected species and report observations of injured or dead animals.   In place of formal observer program, the NTL provides guidelines to identify and avoid injury to marine mammals and sea turtles by reducing speed and maintaining appropriate distances from protected species.

Provides clarification of regulatory requirements for safe and environmentally sound use of subsea pumping as a minerals recovery method in subsea development projects.  Sets forth information requirements for DWOPs (and revisions of DWOPs). Describes examples of equipment and procedures sufficient to meet current expectations of safe, protective operations.

Provides notice of inspection results and discovery of bypass around natural gas royalty meter, and need to make lessees aware of policies regarding proving/calibration and site security requirements of various meter/tank status classifications such as active, inactive, terminated.

Clarifies the definitions of sidetrack and bypass wells, and provides guidance for naming subsea well completions; makes minor formatting changes and includes guidance document statement.

Clarifies information requirements for EPs, DPPs, and DOCDs across all OCS areas and in both shallow water (less than 500 feet) and Deepwater (over 500 feet).  Authorizes performance of rig-related workovers and certain drilling activity for which an APD is already approved, without submitting additional information.   Provides examples of new information required by BOEMRE in six attachments. 

Describes data elements, parameters and reports, and computer modeling or spreadsheets that are required in a complete application for project royalty relief in conjunction with notice issued in November 2008 (73 FR 69490).  Supplements original guidelines in Deep Water Royalty Relief Act of 1996.

Notifies lessees and operators that BOEM and BSEE may be required, in a writing, to conduct Notifies POCS lessees and operators of policy allowing for limited suspension of certain testing requirements for standby flaring equipment and pressure safety relief values when such tests coincide with an emergency health event that activates local air emission abatement measures. These measures include shutdown or suspension of industrial sources as identified by the state of California.  MMs authorizes pre-approval of suspensions of testing standby equipment and safety relief valves during or in anticipation of 2nd or 3rd stage episodes to reduce air pollution.

Announces accident investigation results of pipeline damage caused by workboats dragging grappling hooks to try and retrieve a mooring buoy and its chain.  Reiterates warning sign criteria in prior NTL will remain in effect, and reminds lessees and operators that all signage must be properly displayed to boat traffic and maintained in legible condition.

Clarifies reporting requirements for natural gas liquids and retrograde condensate that are recovered from qualified deep gas production.

Provides and consolidates guidance for avoidance and protection of biologically sensitive features and areas (e.g., coral reefs) when conducting OCS operations in water depths of less than 300 meters (984 feet).   Clarifies requirements to review existing and future EPs and DOCDs for "bottom disturbances" caused by use of anchors, chains, cables, wire ropes and pipelines, and to observe "no activity zones" identified by NOAA Fisheries.  The NTL is more protective because it changes the applicable water depth for protective measures from 400 meters to 300 meters.

Announces changes in prior NTL 2000-G20 to broaden scope to cover all high-density Deepwater benthic communities, defines Deepwater as 300 meters not 400 meters, increases the separation distance from muds and cuttings discharge from 1500 to 2000 feet and clarifies conditions of approval, and provides for additional 1000-foot buffer area around benthic communities beyond maximum anchor areas.  Clarifies that the NTL applies to pipe-lay vessels and chains, with option to reduce the distance requirements if no benthic communities actually exist in areas of impact.

Informs lessees and operators of requirements and procedures for notifying MMS of changes in leases, pipelines, or ROW ownership or operatorship whether by name change or merger.

Provides information on reporting requirements for submittals made to satisfy regulations at 30 CFR 250, Subpart L (30 CFR 250.1202 -- 250.1204).  States preferred method of submittal is e-mail.

Provides clarification on procedures for conducting ancillary activity, including at least 15 days' written notice to the regional office before initiating ancillary activity such as  deploying air guns or seismic arrays in water depths of 200 meters or greater; creating bottom disturbances, independent of water depth, including ocean bottom cable surveys, and time lapse (4D) surveys; and geotechnical evaluation involving piston/gravity-coring or the recovery of sediment specimens by grab-sampling or other similar technique, and dredging of the seafloor.

Provides guidance and instructions on disposal of E&P waste, worker safety when handling waste, and contents of applications to dispose of or store E&P wastes.   Includes worker safety guidelines for handling NORM waste when above background levels, and requires written disclosure of the lease number, area, block, and well number of any disposal wells.

Clarifies procedures for appeal of decisions and orders issued by MMS.  Contains advice for both informal resolution and formal appeal.

Updates policy on platform inspection intervals, including guidance on conducting corrosion assessments, regulatory and document references and revises contact information for Gulf Regional office of Structural and Technical Support.

Clarifies definitions of sidetrack and bypass and provides instructions, exhibits, and guidance for naming subsea wells, completions, and wellbores.  Makes administrative and formatting changes to prior NTL.

Provides guidance on submitting alternate procedure and equipment departure requests from regulations at 30 CFR 250 Subpart J, focusing on pipeline pre-testing applications for valves,  pumps, and redundant pressure safety devices associated with  subsea tiebacks.

Clarifies that all pipeline location information is to be reported and submitted in North American Datum (NAD) 27, so as to ensure that surface location data and final location plats for drilling activities, wells, platforms and pipelines are sufficiently accurate.

Defines data exchange format for submitting directional surveys in digital form via compact disc, including use of 12-digit API number and appropriate MMS contact information, as required by 30 CFR 250 Subpart D.

Notifies lessees and operators of fees for pre-production royalty relief applications and possible audits, as part of DOI policy to encourage production of marginal resources.

Provides guidance on how to install pressure safety high sensors or provide over-pressure and under-pressure  protection to vessels in accord with API Recommended Practice 14C.  Defines the term production train to include vessels not separated by pressure control valves or extensive piping that would cause a drop across a system of more than 10% or 50 psi, whichever is greater. 

Notice to industry that USAF communication seven GOM towers require clear lines of sight from one to another, and be kept free of electromagnetic interference.  To accomplish these goals, no activities will be allowed within a 500-radius of towers sites, or within 100 feet of the centerline of a line of sight between the towers.

Clarifies policy for lessees and operators that revise EPs and DOCDs to change approved anchor patterns or anchor areas, and provides guidance for sidetrack wells.  Sets forth information to be submitted with change requests, including types of drilling rigs, vessels, or platforms, the surface location, whether the mineral is oil or gas, and emission of air pollutants during drilling and production.  Changes of anchor locations of 500 feet or more require advance approval of anchor array patterns.

Joint NTL 2009-G26 - U. S. Air Force Communication Towers

Offers guidance for when you must shut-in producible wells during rig moves or move a skid or drilling unit between wells as supported by a platform.  The NTL describes various types of rigs and phases of rig movement, and specifies when wells must be shut in and how to delineate the documentation provided to MMS.

Guidance on how to avoid compromising the structural integrity of platforms prior to relocation; applies to both fixed and floating platform rigs.  If the platform rig trips any of the platform assessment initiators listed API RP 2A-WSD, the operator must perform a platform assessment in accordance with 30 CFR 250.920(s).

Provides guidance on use of SCADA systems for electronic monitoring of facilities and operating conditions, including wind speeds and downstream components (flowlines, pipelines, and separators located between the hydrocarbon sources and sensing points).  Sets forth approval conditions for when a SCADA system will be permitted to shut-in and restart essential operations.

Updates regulatory citations; adds guidance for level safety high (LSH) sensors on atmospheric vessels, including design and maintenance criteria for the sensor bridle to prevent fluids of different densities from impacting sensor functionality.

Clarifies the process for establishing a designated safe welding area for each particular rig as part of a written Welding Plan; updates terminology for "welding" and contact information for submitting welding plans to District Supervisors of MMS.

Updates prior NTL to specify requirement to submit pipeline location data on compact disks, and revokes aspects of NTL No. 98-09 that facilitated submission of "as-Built" location data before the construction report.

Explains regulations for electronically submitting semiannual well test results for each producing completion using Form MMS-128.

Updates prior NTL to specify requirement to use a checklist of information regarding jack-up rig fitness using Form MMS-123 to assure the rig is capable of performing at the proposed location.   Clarifies the MMS form is based on information provided at API Recommended Practice 95J.

Describes functional responsibility by District and Regional offices for all MMS regulations beginning with General Requirements.

Guidance on evaluation of tie-downs on OCS production platforms to secure drilling and workover rigs, permanent equipment, and facilities during Hurricane season.  This NTL is based on industry document API Recommended Practice 2TD, and efforts to reduce tie-down failures during heavy storms. 

Notice to protect Federal production of minerals against loss or theft.  Reminds operators and platform and rig personnel that "theft or mishandling" includes tampering with or bypassing any component of the royalty measurement facility, and falsifying production measurements. 

Clarifies that a request for suspension received after the lease term has expired will be interpreted as a request for lease reinstatement, and that OCSLA does not give MMS authority to revive or reinstate lessees after they have expired.  A Memorandum by SOL supports this result. 

Notice to operators and pipeline right-of-way holders regarding the goals of coastal restoration, beach nourishment, and levee construction to mitigate erosion, flooding, and land loss in coastal Louisiana.  Adopts safeguards of OCS sediment policy as authorized by Marine Minerals Program. States that future requests for decommissioning-in-place (DIP) of pipelines in such designated sediment reserves are discouraged.     

Notice that failure to maintain lease holding operations may result in termination of a lease or unit by operation of law.   A suspension of production that is not resumed within 180 days and in "paying quantities" or in approved drilling or workover operations will result in legal forfeiture of the lease.   Clarifies terms "paying quantities" and provides for lease holding reviews by GOMR. 

Clarifies policies and procedures for submitting Oil Spill Financial Responsibility documents; adds new definitions to 30 CFR 253.3; provides guidance on how to determine if a facility is covered by the certificate of financial responsibility requirements. 

Clarifies the policy on availability and inspection of electronically stored records for tests of installed surface and subsurface  safety devices "at the lessee's field office nearest to the OCS facility or other locations convenient to the District Manager" within the meaning of 30 CFR 804(b) and 1630(b).  Encourages use of electronic record systems to manage inspections and follow-up activity via request for alternate compliance procedure under 30 CFR 250.141. 

Clarifies the policy on availability and inspection of electronically stored records for tests of installed surface and subsurface  safety devices "at the lessee's field office nearest to the OCS facility or other locations convenient to the District Manager" within the meaning of 30 CFR 804(b) and 1630(b).  Encourages use of electronic record systems to manage inspections and follow-up activity via request for alternate compliance procedure under 30 CFR 250.141.