[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 570 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 403
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 570
[Report No. 117-562]
To require operators of offshore oil and gas facilities to report
failures of critical systems to the Secretary of the Interior, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2021
Mr. McEachin (for himself, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Gaetz, Mr.
Grijalva, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Lowenthal, and Mrs. Luria) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
November 16, 2022
Additional sponsors: Mr. Cohen and Mr. Levin of California
November 16, 2022
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources; committed to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to
be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require operators of offshore oil and gas facilities to report
failures of critical systems to the Secretary of the Interior, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be referred to as the ``Offshore Accountability Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
(a) In General.--Not more than 30 days after the discovery of an
equipment failure of a critical system operated at an offshore oil or
gas facility, the operator of such facility shall provide a written
notice of such failure to the Secretary and the manufacturer of such
equipment.
(b) Investigation.--
(1) Analysis report.--Subject to subsection (d), an
operator required to provide notice to the Secretary under
subsection (a) shall ensure that an investigation and an
equipment failure analysis are completed within 120 days of the
failure to determine the cause of such failure. The operator
shall provide an analysis report to the Secretary and to the
manufacturer of such equipment documenting such investigation
and any corrective action taken.
(2) Publication.--Not more than 30 days after receiving an
analysis report submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary
shall make such analysis report available to the public on the
Department of the Interior website.
(c) Extension.--An operator required to provide an analysis report
under subsection (b) may request an extension of up to 60 days from the
Secretary for such requirement by submitting a written request
detailing how such operator will complete the investigation and report
required by subsection (b). The Secretary shall review and respond to
such request not later than 30 days after the date on which such
request is submitted, and may not grant more than one such extension
with respect to a single investigation and report.
(d) Notice of Change in Equipment or Procedures.--An operator
required to provide a notice under subsection (a) shall--
(1) not more than 30 days after receiving notice from a
manufacturer of any critical system that made changes in the
design of a critical system as the result of the reported
failure, report in writing such notice to the Secretary; and
(2) not more than 30 days after a change in such operator's
operating or repair procedures as a result of the reported
failure, report in writing such change to the Secretary.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Blowout preventer system.--The term ``blowout preventer
system'' means a wellhead device or combination of devices that
is specifically designed to prevent the uncontrolled release of
gas, oil, or other fluids or hydrocarbons.
(2) Critical system.--The term ``critical system'' means
safety and pollution prevention equipment or a blowout
preventer system.
(3) Equipment failure.--The term ``equipment failure''
means any conditions that prevents equipment from meeting its
functional specifications or purpose.
(4) Operator.--The term ``operator'' means the operator of
an offshore oil or gas facility.
(5) Safety and pollution prevention equipment.--The term
``safety and pollution prevention system'' means any equipment
that is specifically designed to prevent a malfunction or
failure of an offshore well, resulting in injury or loss of
life, damage to the environment, or serious damage to the
equipment, including--
(A) surface safety valves and actuators;
(B) boarding shutdown valves and the actuators of
such valves;
(C) underwater safety valves and actuators;
(D) subsurface safety valves and associated safety
valve locks and landing nipples; and
(E) gas lift shutdown valves and actuators
associated with such valves.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
Union Calendar No. 403
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 570
[Report No. 117-562]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require operators of offshore oil and gas facilities to report
failures of critical systems to the Secretary of the Interior, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
November 16, 2022
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed