Regulatory
BOEMRE Approves First-Ever Use of Deepwater Floating Production Storage Offloading Facility in Gulf of Mexico
Bureau Completes Final Pre-Production Safety Inspections, Environmental and Regulatory Review Process
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) has provided the final approval necessary for Petrobras America, Inc. to begin oil and natural gas production at its Cascade-Chinook project using a Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) facility. This will be the first time this technology is used in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. BOEMRE approved the project's Production Safety System permit and Supplemental Deepwater Operating Plan (DWOP), to ensure that stringent safety regulations were met. The FPSO has a production capacity of 80,000 barrels of oil per day and 16 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. With the completion of this final regulatory step, production from this facility is expected to begin in the near future.
BOEMRE Releases Report of Investigation on BP’s Atlantis Platform
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) today released the findings of its investigation into allegations that BP Exploration and Oil, Inc. (BP) did not maintain required copies of engineer-approved drawings for its Atlantis oil and gas platform operating in the Gulf of Mexico. 
The investigation stemmed from an April 2009 lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act by a former BP contractor. The former contractor alleged that BP did not properly maintain the engineer-approved "as built" drawings of systems and structures aboard the Atlantis facility. The contractor alleged that the absence of the documentation created increased safety risks for the facility and to its personnel.
President’s FY 2012 Budget Includes $358.4 Million for BOEMRE Reorganization and Reforms to Strengthen Offshore Energy Management and Regulation
President Barack Obama has announced his request for $358.4 million to fund the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) in fiscal year 2012. This represents a $119.3 million, or 50 percent, increase above the 2010 enacted level, after adjusting for funding transferred to the Office of the Secretary as part of the ongoing reorganization of the former Minerals Management Service (MMS). The budget is designed to implement critical organizational and regulatory reforms in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, so that domestic offshore energy resources are developed in a safe and responsible manner.
