Document ID: USCG-2011-1106-0001
Agency: uscg
Document Type: Notice
Title: Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Guidance Policy; Availability (Federal Register Publication)
Posted Date: 2011-12-29T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 250 (Thursday, December 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81957-81958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33501]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2011-1106]

Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Guidance Policy

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability, request for comments and public 
meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of a draft policy 
letter entitled, ``Dynamically Positioned Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit 
(MODU) Critical Systems, Personnel and Training.'' We request your 
comments on this draft guidance.

DATES: Comments and related material must either be submitted to our 
online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before January 30, 
2012 or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2011-1106 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is (202) 366-9329.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
call or email Commander Joshua D. Reynolds, Chief, Office of Design and 
Engineering Standards, Human Element and Ship Design Division (CG-
5211), United States Coast Guard; telephone (202) 372-1355, email 
Joshua.D.Reynolds@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation, Request for Comments, and Public Meeting

    We encourage you to submit comments and related material on the 
draft MODU policy letter. All comments received will be posted, without 
change, to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal 
information you have provided. Comments will be accepted until January 
30, 2012. There will be a public meeting to discuss comments to the 
draft policy letter on February 9, 2012 at USCG Headquarters, 2100 2nd 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20593, Room 2500 at 1300.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include the 
docket number for this notice (USCG-2011-1106) and provide a reason for 
each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and 
material online, or by fax, mail or hand delivery, but please use only 
one of these means. We recommend that you include your name and a 
mailing address, an email address, or a telephone number in the body of 
your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding 
your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
click on the ``submit a comment'' box, which will then become 
highlighted in blue. In the ``Document Type'' drop down menu select 
``Notices'' and insert ``USCG-2011-1106'' in the ``Keyword'' box. Click 
``Search'' then click on the balloon shape in the ``Actions'' column. 
If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an 
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and 
material received during the comment period.
    Viewing the comments and supplemental material: To view the 
comments and any supplemental material, go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``read comments'' box, which will 
then become highlighted in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box insert ``USCG-
2011-1106'' and click ``Search.'' Click the ``Open Docket Folder'' in 
the ``Actions'' column. If you do not have access to the

[[Page 81958]]

internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the Docket 
Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the 
Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of 
Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility.
    Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review a 
Privacy Act, system of records notice regarding our public dockets in 
the January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Background and Purpose

    Dynamic Positioning Systems (DPSs), Emergency Disconnect Systems 
(EDSs), Blowout Preventers (BOPs) and related training and emergency 
procedures are critical to the safety of a MODU actively engaged in 
drilling. Operators, technicians, and inspectors should view these 
integrated systems holistically, but the myriad requirements imposed by 
multiple oversight entities makes this exceedingly difficult. For 
example, these systems are subject to international guidelines, Coast 
Guard and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) 
regulations, industry standards and Flag State requirements. The draft 
policy letter (available in the docket for this notice) would give 
guidance on how to witness inspection and tests of these critical 
systems by industry and BSEE in a holistic way using the various 
requirements, standards and guidelines. It would encourage Coast Guard 
Officer-in-charge of Marine Inspections (``OCMI''), at the invitation 
of BSEE, operator or MODU contractor, to witness drills and equipment 
tests of these systems during a joint visit with BSEE when a MODU is 
not drilling, typically when the MODU arrives at a new well location. 
The policy letter would encourage OCMIs to establish early 
communication with the operator, MODU contractor, and BSEE in order to 
prevent any delay in oil exploration. This policy letter represents a 
preliminary effort to better understand how industry conducts these 
tests, enhance communication and coordination with BSEE, inform future 
rulemaking, and investigate how oversight of these critical systems and 
training could be incorporated into future inspection policy.
    The guidance contained in the draft policy letter is not a 
substitute for applicable legal requirements, nor is it itself a rule. 
If finalized, it would provide operational guidance for Coast Guard 
personnel. It is not the Coast Guard's intent to impose legally binding 
requirements on any party outside the Coast Guard through this policy 
letter. The policy letter would represent the Coast Guard's current 
thinking on this topic and could assist industry, mariners, the general 
public, and the Coast Guard, as well as other Federal and state 
regulators, in applying statutory and regulatory requirements.

Authority

    This notice is issued under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 33 
CFR 1.05-1.

    Dated: December 23, 2011.
J.G. Lantz,
Director, Commercial Regulations and Standards for Marine Safety, 
Security, and Stewardship, United States Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2011-33501 Filed 12-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P