US simplifies permit processes
06 June 2011
US offshore regulator Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) enforced new processes to streamline permit review for oil and gas licenses.
and more transparent permit review process,” said BOEMRE director Michael Bromwich.
Among the improvements: the publication of a permit application checklist to assist offshore oil and gas operators in submitting complete applications to drill. BOEMRE also requires the implementation of completeness checks by its personnel before significant staff time is spent reviewing the application and the development of clear permit review priorities that will expedite agency reviews. The regulator said it would give priority to complete applications and to permits for ongoing operations, such as sidetracks or deeper exploration of an existing well.
“Our goal is to make the process of submitting permit applications easier, reduce the time it takes to review permits and improve BOEMRE’s communication with operators during the permit review process,” he added. BOEMRE has already approved 43 deepwater permits for 15 unique wells that require subsea containment since an applicant first successfully demonstrated containment capabilities in mid-February. There are currently 24 permits pending and 18 permits have been returned to the operator with requests for additional information, particularly information regarding containment.