I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1520 

To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require that oil and 

gas drilling and production operations on the outer Continental Shelf 

must have in place the best available technology for blowout preventers 

and emergency shutoff equipment, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 13, 2011 

Mr. INSLEE (for himself, Mr. REICHERT, and Mr. YOUNG of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 

Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require 

that oil and gas drilling and production operations on 

the outer Continental Shelf must have in place the best 

available technology for blowout preventers and emergency shutoff equipment, and for other purposes. 

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 Drilling Safe5 ty Improvement Act’’. 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1520 IH

1 SEC. 2. EMERGENCY SHUTOFF SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. 

2 (a) REQUIREMENTS.—Section 21(b) of the Outer 

3 Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1347(b)) is 

4 amended— 

5 (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(b)’’; and 

6 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

7 paragraph: 

8 ‘‘(2)(A) The Secretary shall issue regulations that re9 quire, notwithstanding paragraph (1)— 

10 ‘‘(i) that all oil and gas drilling and production 

11 operations on the outer Continental Shelf have safe12 ty and environmental management systems in place 

13 including blowout preventers and additional backup 

14 emergency shutoff equipment such as acoustic shut15 off technology; and 

16 ‘‘(ii) that such equipment use the best available 

17 and safest technologies. 

18 ‘‘(B) In issuing regulations under this paragraph, the 

19 Secretary shall, based upon information provided by the 

20 Secretary of Energy pursuant to section 203(a)(12) of the 

21 Department of Energy Organization Act and other infor22 mation available to the Secretary— 

23 ‘‘(i) incorporate safety technology information 

24 from independent scientists and experts, academic 

25 institutions, and from technology used internation26 ally; and 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1520 IH

1 ‘‘(ii) consider the need for different technology 

2 requirements in different environments and depths. 

3 ‘‘(C) Regulations issued under this paragraph— 

4 ‘‘(i) shall apply to all new oil and gas drilling 

5 and production operations; and 

6 ‘‘(ii) shall apply to all existing and gas drilling 

7 and production operations upon the expiration of the 

8 6-month period beginning on the date of the 

9 issuance of the regulations. 

10 ‘‘(D) Every 5 years after the date of the issuance of 

11 regulations under this paragraph, the Secretary shall— 

12 ‘‘(i) review blowout preventer and emergency 

13 shutoff equipment technology; and 

14 ‘‘(ii) revise the regulations as necessary to re15 quire use of the best available technology in accord16 ance with this paragraph.’’. 

17 (b) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of the Interior shall 

18 issue regulations under the amendment made by sub19 section (a) by not later than 6 months after the date of 

20 enactment of this Act. 

21 SEC. 3. BEST AVAILABLE AND SAFEST TECHNOLOGY. 

22 Section 203 of the Department of Energy Organiza23 tion Act (42 U.S.C. 7133) is amended by adding at the 

24 end of subsection (a) the following new paragraph: 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1520 IH

1 ‘‘(12) Offshore oil and gas exploration and pro2 duction best available and safest technology identi3 fication, including— 

4 ‘‘(A) surveying industry practices and reg5 ulatory requirements both domestically and 

6 internationally; 

7 ‘‘(B) identifying technology currently in 

8 use as well as technology that is not in wide9 spread use, but could be adopted for widespread 

10 use on a near-term basis; and 

11 ‘‘(C) providing such information regarding 

12 the best available and safest technology to the 

13 Secretary of Interior in a timely fashion for use 

14 in the implementation of the Outer Continental 

15 Shelf Lands Act.’’. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS