BOEMRE Implements Changes to
Improve Efficiency of Permit Review ProcessIssues
Permit Review Checklist to Ensure Submission of Complete
Applications
WASHINGTON
– Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
(BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich today announced that the
bureau is putting in place significant improvements in the oil and
gas permit application process. These improvements include the
publication of a permit application checklist to assist offshore oil
and gas operators in submitting complete applications to drill; the
implementation of completeness checks by BOEMRE personnel before
significant staff time is spent reviewing the application; and the
development of clear permit review priorities that will expedite
agency reviews.
“We are constantly looking for ways
to create a smarter, more efficient, and more transparent permit
review process,” said Director Bromwich. “Our goal is to make the
process of submitting permit applications easier, reduce the time it
takes to review permits and improve BOEMRE’s communication with
operators during the permit review process. We will continue to
search for additional ways to improve our processes without in any
way modifying or relaxing the more stringent safety and
environmental rules we have implemented over the past year.”
Key improvements that are being
implemented include:
-
The publication of a
“completeness” checklist for offshore oil and gas operators.
This high-level checklist, which aligns with BOEMRE’s review
process, includes the main components that need to be submitted
by operators to make a permit application complete. This
checklist does not ensure approval of an application, but will
clarify for operators what is needed in their submission. The
development of the checklist comes after multiple meetings with
operators who have requested such additional guidance. The
checklist can be viewed at:
http://www.boemre.gov/ooc/PDFs/APDSubmissionChecklistFINAL.pdf.
-
To improve the efficiency of the
review process and reduce the number of permits returned to
operators because of incomplete information, BOEMRE personnel
will conduct completeness checks before beginning an in-depth,
substantive review of the application. Bureau personnel will
focus on identifying significant omissions during the initial
review so as to quickly identify applications that are not ready
for full review. Deficiencies and omissions will be communicated
to the operator for correction at the same time. This does not
guarantee that incomplete information will not be found later in
the review, but the completeness check is designed to capture
the major gaps in submission criteria early in the review
process.
-
In an effort to ensure
efficiency, permits found to be complete will have a higher
priority in the review process. The bureau has established
priorities for reviewing permit applications as follows:
Permits for ongoing
operations, such as sidetracks or deeper exploration of an
existing well;
Applications deemed complete;
and
If staff time allows,
applications that are not deemed complete, such as those
missing a required containment plan or the necessary
professional engineer certifications, may begin to be
processed. This category also includes permit applications
without an approved exploration or development plan.
BOEMRE has already approved 43
deepwater permits for 15 unique wells that require subsea
containment since an applicant first successfully demonstrated
containment capabilities in mid-February. There are currently 24
permits pending and 18 permits have been returned to the operator
with requests for additional information, particularly information
regarding containment. The changes announced today should over time
substantially reduce the number of permits that need to be returned
to operators.
Contact: BOEMRE
Public Affairs