Ocean Energy Safety and Technology Improvement Act of 2013

Summary: Ocean Energy Safety and Technology Improvement Act of 2013 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, with respect to the consideration of permits for geological explorations and development and production, to allow the Secretary of the Interior to give priority to reviewing and processing plans and applications that use, develop, or demonstrate new safety-enhancing technologies. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) a small business innovation research program or technology transfer program, or both, to broaden participation in the development of safer technologies for offshore oil and gas exploration and development; and (2) an Ocean Energy Safety Institute, as a collaborative federally funded research and development center or university-affiliated research center, to enhance safe and responsible operations across the offshore oil and gas industry. Funds operations of the Institute through an annual fee applicable to areas of the outer Continental Shelf subject to an oil or gas lease under which production is not occurring.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ocean Energy Safety and Technology 
Improvement Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. PRIORITY IN PERMITTING FOR NEW SAFETY-ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) Exploration Plans and Permits.--Section 11 of the Outer 
Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1340) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
    ``(g) In considering exploration plans and applications for permits 
and other authorizations required under this section, the Secretary may 
give priority to reviewing and processing plans and applications that 
use, develop, or demonstrate new safety-enhancing technologies.''.
    (b) Development and Production Plans and Permits.--Section 25 of 
such Act (43 U.S.C. 1351) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(m) In considering exploration plans and applications for permits 
and other authorizations required under this section, the Secretary may 
give priority to reviewing and processing plans and applications that 
use, develop, or demonstrate new safety-enhancing technologies.''.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF A SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.

    The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 31. ESTABLISHMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a small business 
innovation research program or small business technology transfer 
program, or both, in accordance with this section to broaden 
participation by smaller industry participants in the development of 
safer technologies for offshore oil and gas exploration and 
development.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section each of the terms `small 
business innovation research program' and `small business technology 
transfer program' has the meaning given such term in section 9(e) of 
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(e)), as in effect on the date of 
the enactment of the Ocean Energy Safety and Technology Improvement Act 
of 2013.''.

SEC. 4. OCEAN ENERGY SAFETY INSTITUTE.

    (a) In General.--The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq.) is further amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 32. OCEAN ENERGY SAFETY INSTITUTE.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish an 
        independent Ocean Energy Safety Institute (in this section 
        referred to as the `Institute') to enhance safe and responsible 
        operations across the offshore oil and gas industry.
            ``(2) Form.--The Secretary may establish the Institute as--
                    ``(A) a federally funded research and development 
                center through an agreement in accordance with Federal 
                Acquisition Regulation 35.017-1; or
                    ``(B) a university-affiliated research center 
                managed by an institution of higher education.
            ``(3) Collaboration.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
        Institute is a collaborative initiative involving government, 
        academia, and scientific experts.
    ``(b) Functions.--The Institute shall--
            ``(1) develop a program of research, technical assistance, 
        and education that serves as a center of expertise in oil and 
        gas exploration, development, and production technology;
            ``(2) provide a forum for dialogue, shared learning, and 
        cooperative research among academia, government, industry, and 
        other nongovernmental organizations, in offshore energy-related 
        technologies and activities that ensure safe and 
        environmentally responsible offshore oil and gas exploration, 
        development, and production operations;
            ``(3) serve as a technical center that captures and 
        preserves knowledge and experience to improve such operations;
            ``(4) provide recommendations and technical assistance to 
        the Secretary related to the determination of best available 
        and safest technology and environmentally sound offshore oil 
        and gas development practices;
            ``(5) evaluate design, test protocols, and test results on 
        behalf of the Secretary to certify new best available and 
        safest technologies for such operations that have health, 
        safety, or environment ramifications;
            ``(6) facilitate training of Federal workers on 
        identification and verification of best available and safest 
        technology, and implementation of operational improvements, in 
        the areas of offshore drilling safety and environmental 
        protection, blowout containment, and oil spill response;
            ``(7) develop and maintain a domestic and international 
        equipment failure reporting system and database of critical 
        offshore oil and gas operations equipment failures related to 
        well control;
            ``(8) provide recommendations and technical assistance 
        related to geological and geophysical sciences relevant to 
        understanding the technical challenges of offshore oil and gas 
        operations; and
            ``(9) provide knowledgeable independent assessments 
        concerning technology maturity, suitability, and cost.
    ``(c) Funding.--
            ``(1) Fee.--The Secretary shall issue regulations to 
        establish an annual nonproducing lease fee with respect to 
        areas of the outer Continental Shelf that are subject to a 
        lease under this Act for production of oil or natural gas under 
        which production is not occurring.
            ``(2) Application.--Such fee shall apply with respect to 
        land that is subject to such a lease that is in effect on the 
        date final regulations are promulgated under this subsection or 
        that is issued thereafter.
            ``(3) Amount.--The amount of the fee shall be $1 for each 
        acre of such land from which oil or natural gas is produced for 
        less than 90 days in a calendar year.
            ``(4) Assessment and collection.--The Secretary shall 
        assess and collect the fee established under this subsection.
            ``(5) Use.--Amounts received by the United States as the 
        fee under this subsection may be used by the Secretary for 
        operations of the Institute.
            ``(6) Preventing evasion.--The Secretary may include in the 
        regulations provisions to prevent evasion of the fee.
    ``(d) Reporting and Meetings.--The Institute shall provide a report 
to the Secretary on all Institute activities on a quarterly basis, and 
conduct an in-person meeting with the Secretary or the Secretary's 
designees at least once each year.''.
    (b) Deadline for Fee Regulations.--The Secretary of the Interior 
shall issue regulations establishing the fee under the amendment made 
by subsection (a) within 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act.