Regional Government

Currently, in the European Union (EU) law, the Directive 2013/30/EU concerning the safety of offshore operations in the Oil and Gas industry is in force. The European Commission, by means of this legislative instrument, fixed the minimum safety standards for the prospection, research and production of hydrocarbons in offshore environments. In 2015, thanks to the transposition of this Directive, the Italian government adapted to the European legislative framework in terms of safety of offshore Oil and Gas activities.

The main innovative aspect introduced in the Italian transposition Decree is the institution, by governmental appointment, of the Committee for the Safety of Offshore Operations (CSOO). With the aim of prevent relevant accidents in offshore Oil and Gas operations, the Committee, on one hand performs the functions of Competent Authority with powers of regulation, supervision and control, and on the other hand it is completely independent from the function of offshore license issue.

By transposing the Directive 2013/30/EU, it was possible to define the strategy for the control of the safety of offshore Oil and Gas infrastructures, providing the obligation for Operators to draw up a Report on Major Hazards (RoMH), which must be submitted to the CSOO. Aim of this report is to describe the technical peculiarities and the relevant performances of offshore installations in terms of health, safety and environment. In addition, to develop a detailed risk assessment, Operators are required to produce specific documentation such as the corporate major accidents prevention policy, the safety and environmental management system, the scheme of independent verification and the internal emergency response plan. To ensure that the safety and environmental critical elements identified in the risk assessment are adequate and the program for their monitoring is suitable, up-to-date and enforced, the figure of the Independent Verifier is introduced. Regardless of the verification carried out by this third party, the responsibility for the correct functioning of the systems undergoing verification is always traceable to the Operator. Finally, the task of defining and implementing processes and procedures for the evaluation of the RoMH and the relating documentation is entrusted to the CSOO.

Aim of this novel regulatory tool is to increase the safety level of offshore operations, by integrating the pre-existing legislative framework on the safety and protection of the sea from pollution, which in Italy has so far guaranteed the achievement of high safety levels for workers and the environment. Thanks to a meticulous control activity carried out by the technical Offices of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, it was possible to achieve this goal. The evaluation, performed by means of a public consultation (started in September 2018 and closed at the end of December 2018), is assessing whether the Offshore Safety Directive, as implemented by Member States, has achieved the objective to ensure safe operations.

Finally, the paper highlights the major discussion points that should be considered in assessing the common experiences of European Competent Authorities.

The hydrocarbon sector is one of utmost importance to Nigeria’s growing economy. Ranked among the top 10 producers, the country’s hydrocarbon sector has remained the country’s primary source of revenue, leading to calls for a review of the workings of the sector. The momentous passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill on 25 May 25 by the Nigerian Senate was heralded by many as a revolutionary step at creating a legal framework to address some of the perennial challenges that have plagued the oil and gas industry over the years. The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the world’s oldest professional safety organization, has crafted an “OSHA Reform Blueprint” that details its priorities and vision for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in a time of political change.

The Mexican government continues to update its environmental regulations as authorities prepare for the first exploration and production (E&P) auction to feature blocks with unconventional oil and natural gas resources. The oil industry will be able to draw water from the Little Missouri State Scenic River for hydraulic fracturing after North Dakota officials lifted an 8-week-old moratorium on industrial water permits, raising concerns from some conservationists about the effect on the Badlands.

The Mexican government continues to update its environmental regulations as authorities prepare for the first exploration and production (E&P) auction to feature blocks with unconventional oil and natural gas resources. As interest in unconventional resources has grown in Europe, so have concerns about the potential environmental impacts of their development.

On September 13, the Delaware River Basin Commission voted to begin the process to ban hydraulic fracturing near the river to protect the drinking water of 15 million people. A 7-year moratorium on natural gas development near the Delaware River would be replaced by a permanent ban under a proposal that’s being developed by the agency that oversees the water supply of more than 15 million people.

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued a final environmental impact statement (PEIS) for proposed geological and geophysical surveys of the Gulf of Mexico regarding possible oil and gas development. After the 2010 Gulf oil spill, the Obama administration broke the scandal-plagued federal agency that policed offshore drilling into separate bureaus. Now, the Trump administration is considering putting it back together again.

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued a final environmental impact statement (PEIS) for proposed geological and geophysical surveys of the Gulf of Mexico regarding possible oil and gas development. Because marine seismic surveys are critical in finding offshore oil and gas, The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers and the International Association of Geophysical Contractors have collaborated on a position paper that assesses the effect of such work on marine mammals.

Environmentalists have sued a US agency to try to stop it from allowing oil and gas drilling on a vast stretch of federal land in Nevada, where the government is reversing protections put in place 9 months ago under the Obama administration. The US Interior Department on 7 August launched an overhaul to an Obama-era plan to protect sage grouse that it says aims to preserve the species of bird while expanding opportunities for oil development in western states where they live. The federal government is barred from auctioning off new drilling rights on public lands in California for at least another year under a settlement reached with environmental groups, one of the groups told Bloomberg.

Environmentalists have sued a US agency to try to stop it from allowing oil and gas drilling on a vast stretch of federal land in Nevada, where the government is reversing protections put in place 9 months ago under the Obama administration. The Interior Department is preparing to delay implementation of a rule limiting methane waste at oil and natural gas drilling sites. The federal government is barred from auctioning off new drilling rights on public lands in California for at least another year under a settlement reached with environmental groups, one of the groups told Bloomberg.

Considering most of the rigs deal with human-machine interface systems, the role of human factors is at the heart of any successful operation. Eye-tracking technology can be useful in real-time operation centers where ocular movement data can improve the professionals’ performance. Environmentalists have sued a US agency to try to stop it from allowing oil and gas drilling on a vast stretch of federal land in Nevada, where the government is reversing protections put in place 9 months ago under the Obama administration. Two months after a Colorado home exploded near an Anadarko well, the reverberations are still rattling the oil industry, driving down driller shares and raising fears of a regulatory backlash. More than 100 members of Congress are urging the Trump administration not to open up the Atlantic or Pacific oceans for oil and gas drilling as part of the Interior Department’s review of federal offshore policies.