IB 

Union Calendar No. 456 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2643 

[Report No. 117–633] 

To require the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to further 

develop, finalize, and implement updated regulations for offshore oil 

and gas pipelines to address long-standing limitations regarding its ability 

to ensure active pipeline integrity and address safety and environmental 

risks associated with decommissioning, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 19, 2021 

Ms. BROWNLEY (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Mr. LOWENTHAL) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

DECEMBER 14, 2022 

Additional sponsors: Ms. PORTER, Mr. LEVIN of California, Mr. COHEN, Ms. 

LEE of California, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. LIEU, Mr. QUIGLEY, Ms. ROSS, 

and Ms. MATSUI

DECEMBER 14, 2022 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 19, 2021] 


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•HR 2643 RH

A BILL 

To require the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to further develop, finalize, and implement updated 

regulations for offshore oil and gas pipelines to address 

long-standing limitations regarding its ability to ensure 

active pipeline integrity and address safety and environmental risks associated with decommissioning, and for 

other purposes. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
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•HR 2643 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Offshore Pipeline Safety 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINALIZATION OF REGULATIONS RELATED TO OFF7 SHORE PIPELINES. 

8 Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 

9 of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 

10 Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental En11 forcement, shall issue final regulations relating to Oil and 

12 Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental 

13 Shelf—Pipelines and Pipeline Rights-of-Way (72 Fed. Reg. 

14 56,442 (Oct. 3, 2007)). Such regulations shall require own15 ers of oil and gas pipelines subject to such regulations— 

16 (1) to provide for internal and external inspec17 tions of pipelines by a third-party no less frequently 

18 than every two years, unless the Director of the Bu19 reau determines that any such inspection is not re20 quired; and 

21 (2) to equip such pipelines with a leak detection 

22 system or device that provides continuous volumetric 

23 comparison between the pipeline’s product input and 

24 output and includes alarms and adequate sensitivity 

25 to detect variations between input and discharge volVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:33 Dec 14, 2022 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H2643.RH H2643

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1 umes to enable any leaks from the pipeline to be de2 tected as quickly as possible. 

3 SEC. 3. ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS OF DECOM4 MISSIONING PIPELINES. 

5 (a) STUDY ON ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS OF DECOMMIS6 SIONING PIPELINES VERSUS REMOVING PIPELINES.— 

7 (1) STUDY.—The Directors of the Bureau of 

8 Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the Bu9 reau of Ocean Energy Management shall jointly con10 duct a study to evaluate the environmental benefits 

11 and risks associated with decommissioning oil and 

12 gas pipelines in place on the sea floor compared to re13 moving such pipelines. Such study shall include— 

14 (A) an evaluation of pipelines that have 

15 been decommissioned in place, identifying de16 commissioned pipelines at high-risk of causing 

17 safety and environmental harm, causing obstruc18 tions, or otherwise unduly interfering with 

19 present or future uses of the outer continental 

20 shelf; and 

21 (B) recommendations on the best uses of the 

22 revenues generated by the annual pipelines fees 

23 as authorized by subsection (d). 

24 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 

25 date of enactment of this Act, the Directors shall 


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•HR 2643 RH

1 transmit a report to the Committee on Natural Re2 sources of the House of Representatives and the Com3 mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Sen4 ate, detailing the findings and determinations of the 

5 study, including any recommendations for legislation. 

6 (b) REQUIRED CONSIDERATIONS IN REVIEWING DE7 COMMISSIONING APPLICATIONS.—In determining whether 

8 to permit an owner to decommission an oil or gas pipeline, 

9 the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, 

10 shall fully consider whether the offshore oil and gas pipeline 

11 constitutes a hazard to navigation and commercial and rec12 reational fishing operations, unduly interferes with other 

13 uses of the outer continental shelf, or has adverse environ14 mental effects. 

15 (c) ONGOING MONITORING OF DECOMMISSIONED PIPE16 LINES.—The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforce17 ment shall continually monitor the condition and location 

18 of all oil and gas pipelines that have been decommissioned 

19 and remain in place, and shall maintain all relevant 

20 records of such monitoring. 

21 (d) ANNUAL PIPELINE OWNERS FEE.—Not later than 

22 180 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Bureau of 

23 Safety and Environmental Enforcement shall issue regula24 tions to assess an annual fee on owners of offshore oil and 

25 gas pipelines for the purpose of providing the Bureau with 


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1 funds to decommission or remove such pipelines in the event 

2 an owner files for bankruptcy. Such fee shall be no less 

3 than— 

4 (1) $10,000 per mile for such pipelines in water 

5 with a depth of 500 feet or greater; and 

6 (2) $1,000 per mile for pipelines in water depth 

7 of under 500 feet. 

8 SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT RELATING TO EXPOSED SEGMENTS 

9 OF OFFSHORE PIPELINES. 

10 If the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforce11 ment identifies any exposed segment of any active or decom12 missioned pipeline, the Bureau shall either remove the pipe13 line from the ocean or ensure it is properly decommissioned 

14 and does not pose a threat. If a segment of any active pipe15 line is exposed or shifts, the Bureau shall re-secure such seg16 ment to the sea floor. 

17 SEC. 5. COMPLETION OF STUDY RELATING TO ENVIRON18 MENT RISKS OF CHEMICAL PRODUCTS USED 

19 IN OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS. 

20 (a) COMPLETION OF STUDY.—The Bureau of Safety 

21 and Environmental Enforcement shall complete a study ad22 dressing the risks to the environment of chemical products 

23 used in oil and gas operations including umbilical lines. 

24 In conducting the study, the Bureau shall seek input from 

25 chemical suppliers and the oil and gas industry. 


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1 (b) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 

2 of enactment of this Act, the Bureau shall transmit a report 

3 of the findings and determinations in such study to Con4 gress, including any recommendations for legislation. 

5 SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

6 No provision of this Act shall take effect without con7 sidering whether such action will result in a reduction of 

8 reef fish habitat. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 456 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2643 

[Report No. 117–633] 

A BILL 

To require the Bureau of Safety and Environand for other purposes. mental risks associated with decommissioning, pipeline integrity and address safety and environ- limitations regarding its ability to ensure active oil and gas pipelines to address long-standing and implement updated regulations for offshore mental Enforcement to further develop, finalize, 

DECEMBER 14, 2022 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS