BSEE calls for comments on study for decommissioning offshore California

Offshore staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has invited the public to comment on a proposal to conduct a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for decommissioning oil and gas platforms and other facilities on the Pacific outer continental shelf.

The input gathered will inform the scope of the PEIS and identify potentially relevant information, studies, and analyses to inform future decommissioning application decisions.

Mike Mitchell acting BSEE Pacific Region Director, said: “This is the first step toward a robust and efficient review of anticipated applications for decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure off the California coast.

“Throughout the process, federal, state, and local governmental agencies, along with all other interested parties, will have an opportunity to provide comments and alternatives for analysis as we prepare the PEIS under the National Environmental Policy Act.”

The preliminary proposed action is to authorize applications for complete removal of platforms and other facilities, including pipelines, and clearing the seafloor of all obstructions created by the lease or right-of-way operations on the Pacific OCS offshore southern California.

In addition to the proposed action and a No Action alternative, an alternative for partial removal of platforms and associated facilities and pipelines will be evaluated. The proposed action and the alternative will evaluate various decommissioning tools and techniques for removal of OCS platforms, associated facilities, and pipelines.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is assisting BSEE in the preparation of the environmental analysis but has no role in approving decommissioning applications.

There are currently 23 oil and gas platforms offshore southern California. They were installed between the late 1960s and 1990.

07/27/2021