I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3780 
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize the Secretary 
of the Interior to establish an Ocean Energy Safety Institute, to promote 
the use of best available and safest offshore drilling technologies, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 16, 2013 
Mr. HOLT (for himself, Mr. DEFAZIO, and Mr. LOWENTHAL) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 
and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to author-
ize the Secretary of the Interior to establish an Ocean 
Energy Safety Institute, to promote the use of best avail-
able and safest offshore drilling technologies, and for 
other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Ocean Energy Safety 
and Technology Improvement Act of 2013’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:03 Dec 21, 2013
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3780.IH
H3780
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. PRIORITY IN PERMITTING FOR NEW SAFETY-EN-
HANCING 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 applica-
tions 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 applica-
tions 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 fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 31. ESTABLISHMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
small business innovation research program or small busi-
ness technology transfer program, or both, in accordance 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:03 Dec 21, 2013
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3780.IH
H3780
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
with this section to broaden participation by smaller in-
dustry participants in the development of safer tech-
nologies for offshore oil and gas exploration and develop-
ment. 
‘‘(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 enact-
ment of the Ocean Energy Safety and Technology Im-
provement 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 estab-
lish an independent Ocean Energy Safety Institute 
(in this section referred to as the ‘Institute’) to en-
hance safe and responsible operations across the off-
shore oil and gas industry. 
‘‘(2) FORM.—The Secretary may establish the 
Institute as— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:03 Dec 21, 2013
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3780.IH
H3780
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) a federally funded research and devel-
opment center through an agreement in accord-
ance 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 en-
sure that the Institute is a collaborative initiative in-
volving 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 learn-
ing, and cooperative research among academia, gov-
ernment, industry, and other nongovernmental orga-
nizations, in offshore energy-related technologies and 
activities that ensure safe and environmentally re-
sponsible offshore oil and gas exploration, develop-
ment, and production operations; 
‘‘(3) serve as a technical center that captures 
and preserves knowledge and experience to improve 
such operations; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:03 Dec 21, 2013
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3780.IH
H3780
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(4) provide recommendations and technical as-
sistance to the Secretary related to the determina-
tion of best available and safest technology and envi-
ronmentally sound offshore oil and gas development 
practices; 
‘‘(5) evaluate design, test protocols, and test re-
sults on behalf of the Secretary to certify new best 
available and safest technologies for such operations 
that have health, safety, or environment ramifica-
tions; 
‘‘(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 as-
sistance related to geological and geophysical 
sciences relevant to understanding the technical 
challenges of offshore oil and gas operations; and 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:03 Dec 21, 2013
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3780.IH
H3780
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(9) provide knowledgeable independent assess-
ments concerning technology maturity, suitability, 
and cost. 
‘‘(c) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) FEE.—The Secretary shall issue regula-
tions 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 produc-
tion 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 promul-
gated under this subsection or that is issued there-
after. 
‘‘(3) AMOUNT.—The amount of the fee shall be 
$1 for each acre of such land from which oil or nat-
ural gas is produced for less than 90 days in a cal-
endar year. 
‘‘(4) ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION.—The Sec-
retary 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. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:03 Dec 21, 2013
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3780.IH
H3780
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(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 ac-
tivities 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 Sec-
retary of the Interior shall issue regulations establishing 
the fee under the amendment made by subsection (a) with-
in 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:03 Dec 21, 2013
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3780.IH
H3780
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS