The existing MOU (detailed below) between MMS and the NPD is being updated due to reforms in the Norwegian government. The new Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed on May 6, 2004, is necessary because a new agency, The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) - has been formed to deal with offshore safety. NPD will continue to deal with resource, access, and reservoir management matters. More information is available.

Cooperative Activities

On October 15, 1998, the MMS and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate  (NPD) of the Kingdom of Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concerning scientific and technical cooperation related to offshore oil, gas, and mineral resources. The MOU establishes a formal framework with NPD for the exchange of scientific and technical knowledge, exchange visits, cooperative research, and other forms of cooperative activities.

In early 1993, the MMS and NPD exchanged letters agreeing to exchange information and cooperate on issues regarding the management of offshore oil and gas. Representatives meet annually to discuss mutual interests with a view toward determining the international applicability of certain regulations. These annual meetings have expanded to include Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom (UK). The group has become known as the International Regulator's Forum. The MMS continues to cooperate with NPD on safety and oil spill research projects and the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority on issues concerning the cleanup of oil on shorelines.

MMS cooperates in a joint project, "In-Situ Treatment of Oiled Sediment Shorelines (ITOSS)" with the Norwegian Control Authority, Canadian Coast Guard, Environment Canada, Exxon Research, Imperial Oil Canada, Marine Pollution Control Unit (UK), and the Texas General Land Office. The ITOSS is part of a long-term strategy to better understand the behavior of oil on shorelines and to apply appropriate response options.

An MMS team from the Minerals Revenue Program traveled to Norway in late 1996 to discuss their policies and practices regarding royalty collection, valuation, audit, verification, deep water relief, and automated systems as part of the Minerals Revenue Management's reengineering project.

Other Activities

	MMS and NPD cooperate closely to assist Russia in offshore oil and gas legislative, economic, and environmental reform. The multilateral effort seeks to improve Russia’s offshore oil and gas operations by revising its safety and environmental regulatory regime to be more consistent with western standards.
	Norway participates with MMS and other Arctic countries in the Arctic Council. The Council is a high level policy forum that addresses environmental and other non-military issues of concern to arctic nations.
	Participates in a joint government-industry study--"Dented and Corroded Pipelines"--Det Norske Veritas, Oslo, Norway--The objective is to develop methods to assess effects of dents and corrosion of pipelines.
	Cooperates in a joint government-industry study, "Reliability of Corroded Pipelines"--Det Norske Veritas, Oslo, Norway--The objective is to develop reliability methods for the assessment of pipeline corrosion considering the uncertainty associated with inspection methods.
	Participates in a joint government-industry study, "Design Procedures for Deep-Water Anchors"--Det Norske Veritas, Oslo, Norway--The objective is to develop better techniques for determining anchoring systems for deep-water floating production systems.

Press Release International Cooperation on Safety and Environment