Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act

Bill: 113-hr-1613
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3]
Introduced: 2013-04-18
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Bahamas

Bermuda

Business records

Canada

Caribbean area

Congressional oversight

Corporate finance and management

Department of the Interior

Economic performance and conditions

Government studies and investigations

International law and treaties

Mexico

Oil and gas

Russia

Securities
Latest action: action_date: 2013-10-01
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-104.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-04-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to implement the terms of any agreement for the management of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs entered into by the President and approved by Congress.</p> <p>Sets forth the procedures for submission of such agreements to Congress. </p> <p>Authorizes the Secretary to take necessary actions to implement the terms of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012 (the Agreement).</p> <p>Exempts from certain resources extraction reporting requirements any actions taken by a public company in accordance with a transboundary hydrocarbon agreement.</p> <p>Approves the Agreement.</p>

action_date: 2013-06-06
action_desc: Reported to House amended, Part I
text: <p>Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act - <b>Title I: Amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act - </b>(Sec. 101) Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to implement any agreement for the management of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs entered into by the President and approved by Congress.</p> <p>Prescribes procedures for submission of such agreements to Congress. </p> <p>Authorizes the Secretary to implement the terms of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012 (the Agreement), including: (1) approving unitization agreements and related arrangements for the exploration, development, or production of oil and natural gas from transboundary reservoirs or geological structures; (2) making available, subject to the agreement's confidentiality protections, information pertaining to such activities that may be considered confidential, privileged, or proprietary; and (3) ensuring that only the operator, lessee, or inspection staff at the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement have authority to stop work on such activities on any production site attached to the U.S. seabed.</p> <p>Exempts from resources extraction reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 any actions taken by a public company in accordance with a transboundary hydrocarbon agreement.</p> <p>Prohibits this Act from being construed as: (1) authorizing the Secretary to participate in any negotiations, conferences, or consultations with Cuba regarding exploration, development, or production of hydrocarbon resources in the Gulf of Mexico along the U.S. maritime border with Cuba (including the area known as the &quot;Eastern Gap&quot;); or (2) affecting U.S. sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the outer Continental Shelf which appertains to it.</p> <p><b>Title II: Approval of Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement</b> - (Sec. 201) Approves the Agreement.</p>

action_date: 2013-06-27
action_desc: Passed House amended
text: <p><b>(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on June 6, 2013. The summary of that version is repeated here.)</b></p> <p>Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act - <b>Title I: Amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act - </b>(Sec. 101) Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to implement any agreement for the management of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs entered into by the President and approved by Congress.</p> <p>Prescribes procedures for submission of such agreements to Congress. </p> <p>Authorizes the Secretary to implement the terms of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012 (the Agreement), including: (1) approving unitization agreements and related arrangements for the exploration, development, or production of oil and natural gas from transboundary reservoirs or geological structures; (2) making available, subject to the agreement's confidentiality protections, information pertaining to such activities that may be considered confidential, privileged, or proprietary; and (3) ensuring that only the operator, lessee, or inspection staff at the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement have authority to stop work on such activities on any production site attached to the U.S. seabed.</p> <p>Exempts from resources extraction reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 any actions taken by a public company in accordance with a transboundary hydrocarbon agreement.</p> <p>Prohibits this Act from being construed as: (1) authorizing the Secretary to participate in any negotiations, conferences, or consultations with Cuba regarding exploration, development, or production of hydrocarbon resources in the Gulf of Mexico along the U.S. maritime border with Cuba (including the area known as the &quot;Eastern Gap&quot;); or (2) affecting U.S. sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the outer Continental Shelf which appertains to it.</p> <p><b>Title II: Approval of Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement</b> - (Sec. 201) Approves the Agreement.</p>

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1613 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 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 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 purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act . I Amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 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: 32. Transboundary hydrocarbon agreements (a) Authorization The Secretary may implement the terms of any transboundary hydrocarbon agreement for the management of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs entered into by the President and approved by Congress. In implementing such an agreement, the Secretary shall protect the interests of the United States to promote domestic job creation and ensure the expeditious and orderly development and conservation of domestic mineral resources in accordance with all applicable United States laws governing the exploration, development, and production 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 hydrocarbon 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 Representatives; (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 submission shall include— (A) any amendments to this Act or other Federal law necessary to implement the agreement; (B) an analysis of the economic impacts such an agreement and any amendments necessitated by the agreement will have on domestic exploration, development, and production of hydrocarbon resources on the outer Continental Shelf; and (C) a detailed description of any regulations expected to be issued by the Secretary to implement the agreement. (c) Implementation of specific transboundary agreements (1) Mexico The Secretary may take actions as necessary to implement the terms of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012, including— (A) approving unitization agreements and related agreements for the exploration, development, or production of oil and natural gas from transboundary reservoirs or geological structures; (B) making available, in the limited manner necessary under the agreement and subject to the protections of confidentiality provided by the agreement, information relating to the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas from a transboundary reservoir or geological structure that may otherwise be considered confidential, privileged, or proprietary information under law; (C) taking actions consistent with an expert determination under the agreement, provided that the expert determination proceedings were open to the public to the greatest extent practicable; and (D) ensuring that agents of a foreign government may not stop work or interfere with exploration, development, or production activities as approved by the Secretary. (2) Canada (3) Russia (4) Bahamas (5) Bermuda (d) Exemption from resources extraction reporting requirement Actions taken by a public company 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 production of hydrocarbon resources in the Gulf of Mexico along the United States maritime border with Cuba or the area known by the Department of the Interior as the Eastern Gap ; or (2) as affecting the sovereign rights and the jurisdiction that the United States has under international law over the outer Continental Shelf which appertains to it. . II Approval of Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement 201. Approval of agreement with Mexico The Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012, is hereby approved.

tv_txt: IB 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1613 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to provide for the proper Federal management and oversight of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act . I Amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 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: 32. Transboundary hydrocarbon agreements (a) Authorization After the date of enactment of the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act, the Secretary may implement the terms of any transboundary hydrocarbon agreement for the management of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs entered into by the President and approved by Congress. In implementing such an agreement, the Secretary shall protect the interests of the United States to promote domestic job creation and ensure the expeditious and orderly development and conservation of domestic mineral resources in accordance with all applicable United States laws governing the exploration, development, and production 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 hydrocarbon 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 Representatives; (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 submission shall include— (A) any amendments to this Act or other Federal law necessary to implement the agreement; (B) an analysis of the economic impacts such an agreement and any amendments necessitated by the agreement will have on domestic exploration, development, and production of hydrocarbon resources on the outer Continental Shelf; and (C) a detailed description of any regulations expected to be issued by the Secretary to implement the agreement. (c) Implementation of specific transboundary agreement with Mexico The Secretary may take actions as necessary to implement the terms of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012, including— (1) approving unitization agreements and related arrangements for the exploration, development, or production of oil and natural gas from transboundary reservoirs or geological structures; (2) making available, in the limited manner necessary under the agreement and subject to the protections of confidentiality provided by the agreement, information relating to the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas from a transboundary reservoir or geological structure that may be considered confidential, privileged, or proprietary information under law; (3) taking actions consistent with an expert determination under the agreement; and (4) ensuring only appropriate inspection staff at the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement 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 seabed of the United States, which may be erected thereon for the purpose of resource exploration, development or production activities as approved by the Secretary. (d) Exemption from resources extraction reporting requirement Actions taken by a public company 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 production of hydrocarbon resources in the Gulf of Mexico along the United States maritime border with Cuba or the area known by the Department of the Interior as the Eastern Gap ; or (2) as affecting the sovereign rights and the jurisdiction that the United States has under international law over the outer Continental Shelf which appertains to it. . II Approval of Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement 201. Approval of agreement with Mexico The Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012, is hereby approved.

Passed the House of Representatives June 27, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 70 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1613 [Report No. 113–101, Part I] 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 provisions 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. Wilson 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; committed 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 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 purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act . I Amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 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: 32. Transboundary hydrocarbon agreements (a) Authorization After the date of enactment of the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act, the Secretary may implement the terms of any transboundary hydrocarbon agreement for the management of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs entered into by the President and approved by Congress. In implementing such an agreement, the Secretary shall protect the interests of the United States to promote domestic job creation and ensure the expeditious and orderly development and conservation of domestic mineral resources in accordance with all applicable United States laws governing the exploration, development, and production 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 hydrocarbon 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 Representatives; (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 submission shall include— (A) any amendments to this Act or other Federal law necessary to implement the agreement; (B) an analysis of the economic impacts such an agreement and any amendments necessitated by the agreement will have on domestic exploration, development, and production of hydrocarbon resources on the outer Continental Shelf; and (C) a detailed description of any regulations expected to be issued by the Secretary to implement the agreement. (c) Implementation of specific transboundary agreement with Mexico The Secretary may take actions as necessary to implement the terms of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012, including— (1) approving unitization agreements and related arrangements for the exploration, development, or production of oil and natural gas from transboundary reservoirs or geological structures; (2) making available, in the limited manner necessary under the agreement and subject to the protections of confidentiality provided by the agreement, information relating to the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas from a transboundary reservoir or geological structure that may be considered confidential, privileged, or proprietary information under law; (3) taking actions consistent with an expert determination under the agreement; and (4) ensuring only appropriate inspection staff at the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement 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 seabed of the United States, which may be erected thereon for the purpose of resource exploration, development or production activities as approved by the Secretary. (d) Exemption from resources extraction reporting requirement Actions taken by a public company 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 production of hydrocarbon resources in the Gulf of Mexico along the United States maritime border with Cuba or the area known by the Department of the Interior as the Eastern Gap ; or (2) as affecting the sovereign rights and the jurisdiction that the United States has under international law over the outer Continental Shelf which appertains to it. . II Approval of Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement 201. Approval of agreement with Mexico The Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012, is hereby approved.

June 6, 2013 Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment June 6, 2013 The Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: IIB 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1613 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 8, 2013 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources AN ACT To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to provide for the proper Federal management and oversight of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act . I Amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 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: 32. Transboundary hydrocarbon agreements (a) Authorization After the date of enactment of the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act, the Secretary may implement the terms of any transboundary hydrocarbon agreement for the management of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoirs entered into by the President and approved by Congress. In implementing such an agreement, the Secretary shall protect the interests of the United States to promote domestic job creation and ensure the expeditious and orderly development and conservation of domestic mineral resources in accordance with all applicable United States laws governing the exploration, development, and production 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 hydrocarbon 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 Representatives; (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 submission shall include— (A) any amendments to this Act or other Federal law necessary to implement the agreement; (B) an analysis of the economic impacts such an agreement and any amendments necessitated by the agreement will have on domestic exploration, development, and production of hydrocarbon resources on the outer Continental Shelf; and (C) a detailed description of any regulations expected to be issued by the Secretary to implement the agreement. (c) Implementation of specific transboundary agreement with Mexico The Secretary may take actions as necessary to implement the terms of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012, including— (1) approving unitization agreements and related arrangements for the exploration, development, or production of oil and natural gas from transboundary reservoirs or geological structures; (2) making available, in the limited manner necessary under the agreement and subject to the protections of confidentiality provided by the agreement, information relating to the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas from a transboundary reservoir or geological structure that may be considered confidential, privileged, or proprietary information under law; (3) taking actions consistent with an expert determination under the agreement; and (4) ensuring only appropriate inspection staff at the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement 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 seabed of the United States, which may be erected thereon for the purpose of resource exploration, development or production activities as approved by the Secretary. (d) Exemption from resources extraction reporting requirement Actions taken by a public company 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 production of hydrocarbon resources in the Gulf of Mexico along the United States maritime border with Cuba or the area known by the Department of the Interior as the Eastern Gap ; or (2) as affecting the sovereign rights and the jurisdiction that the United States has under international law over the outer Continental Shelf which appertains to it. . II Approval of Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement 201. Approval of agreement with Mexico The Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, signed at Los Cabos, February 20, 2012, is hereby approved.

Passed the House of Representatives June 27, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.