IB 
Union Calendar No. 70 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1613 
[Report No. 113–101, Part I] 
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to provide for the proper 
Federal management and oversight of transboundary hydrocarbon res-
ervoirs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 18, 2013 
Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, 
and Mr. SALMON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on 
Foreign Affairs and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
JUNE 6, 2013 
Additional sponsors: Mr. RADEL, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. POE of Texas, 
Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. GRAVES of Georgia, Mr. 
CRAMER, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mrs. WAGNER, Mr. WIL-
SON of South Carolina, Mr. BENTIVOLIO, and Mr. MULLIN 
JUNE 6, 2013 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
JUNE 6, 2013 
The Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services discharged; com-
mitted to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 18, 2013] 
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A BILL 
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to provide 
for the proper Federal management and oversight of 
transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs, and for other pur-
poses. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Outer Continental Shelf 
Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization 
Act’’. 
TITLE I—AMENDMENT TO THE 
OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 
LANDS ACT 
SEC. 101. AMENDMENT TO THE OUTER CONTINENTAL 
SHELF LANDS ACT. 
The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 32. TRANSBOUNDARY HYDROCARBON AGREEMENTS. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—After the date of enactment of 
the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon 
Agreements Authorization Act, the Secretary may imple-
ment the terms of any transboundary hydrocarbon agree-
ment for the management of transboundary hydrocarbon 
reservoirs entered into by the President and approved by 
Congress. In implementing such an agreement, the Sec-
retary shall protect the interests of the United States to pro-
mote domestic job creation and ensure the expeditious and 
orderly development and conservation of domestic mineral 
resources in accordance with all applicable United States 
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laws governing the exploration, development, and produc-
tion of hydrocarbon resources on the outer Continental 
Shelf. 
‘‘(b) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—No later than 180 days after 
all parties to a transboundary hydrocarbon agreement 
have agreed to its terms, a transboundary hydro-
carbon agreement that does not constitute a treaty in 
the judgment of the President shall be submitted by 
the Secretary to— 
‘‘(A) the Speaker of the House of Represent-
atives; 
‘‘(B) the Majority Leader of the Senate; 
‘‘(C) the Chair of the Committee on Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives; and 
‘‘(D) the Chair of the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF SUBMISSION.—The submis-
sion shall include— 
‘‘(A) any amendments to this Act or other 
Federal law necessary to implement the agree-
ment; 
‘‘(B) an analysis of the economic impacts 
such an agreement and any amendments neces-
sitated by the agreement will have on domestic 
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exploration, development, and production of hy-
drocarbon resources on the outer Continental 
Shelf; and 
‘‘(C) a detailed description of any regula-
tions expected to be issued by the Secretary to 
implement the agreement. 
‘‘(c) IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIFIC TRANSBOUNDARY 
AGREEMENT WITH MEXICO.—The Secretary may take ac-
tions as necessary to implement the terms of the Agreement 
between the United States of America and the United Mexi-
can States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Res-
ervoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 
20, 2012, including— 
‘‘(1) approving unitization agreements and re-
lated arrangements for the exploration, development, 
or production of oil and natural gas from trans-
boundary reservoirs or geological structures; 
‘‘(2) making available, in the limited manner 
necessary under the agreement and subject to the pro-
tections of confidentiality provided by the agreement, 
information relating to the exploration, development, 
and production of oil and natural gas from a trans-
boundary reservoir or geological structure that may 
be considered confidential, privileged, or proprietary 
information under law; 
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‘‘(3) taking actions consistent with an expert de-
termination under the agreement; and 
‘‘(4) ensuring only appropriate inspection staff 
at the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforce-
ment or other Federal agency personnel designated by 
the Bureau, the operator, or the lessee have authority 
to stop work on any installation or other device or 
vessel permanently or temporarily attached to the sea-
bed of the United States, which may be erected there-
on for the purpose of resource exploration, develop-
ment or production activities as approved by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(d) EXEMPTION FROM RESOURCES EXTRACTION RE-
PORTING REQUIREMENT.—Actions taken by a public com-
pany in accordance with any transboundary hydrocarbon 
agreement shall not constitute the commercial development 
of oil, natural gas, or minerals for purposes of section 13(q) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (157 U.S.C. 78m(q)). 
‘‘(e) SAVINGS PROVISIONS.—Nothing in this section 
shall be construed— 
‘‘(1) to authorize the Secretary to participate in 
any negotiations, conferences, or consultations with 
Cuba regarding exploration, development, or produc-
tion of hydrocarbon resources in the Gulf of Mexico 
along the United States maritime border with Cuba 
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