|
Office
of Offshore Regulatory Programs
The Office of
Offshore Regulatory Programs has three broad areas of responsibility: 1)
inspection and enforcement policy, guidance, and analysis, 2)
development of rules, regulations, and engineering standards for
offshore oil and gas operations, and 3) oversight and participation in
engineering research and oil spill technology research. The division
works closely with offshore operators, industry organizations, and
academic and private institutions. Additional information on
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas programs can be
found at this link to the MMS website. For more specific information on
the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs, click on the following links:
The primary responsibility of the
ORP is
the safety of offshore operations and the prevention of pollution. The
division is comprised of three branches: 1) the Safety and Enforcement
Branch, 2) the Operations Analysis Branch, and 3) the Engineering and
Research Branch. Additionally, there is an Office of Offshore Regulations
that processes rulemaking efforts for all of MMS. These three branches work
in concert with each other and the three regional offices,
Alaska Offshore Region,
Gulf of Mexico Offshore Region,
and
Pacific Offshore Region
to pursue the goal of safe and clean operations.
The ORP pursues this goal in several
ways. Over the past 50 years, the MMS (formerly USGS.) engineers have
developed a set of prescriptive regulations detailed in the following link,
Regulatory Compliance . In
addition to writing
Rules, other information is sometimes required to clarify regulatory
intent or provide additional information to the operator. ORP accomplishes
this through
Notices,
Letters, and Information to Lessees and Operators.
The ORP staff work closely with regional and district personnel in
developing
Enforcement
Measures that ensures operator compliance with these
regulations. Inspectors use a list of
Potential
Incidents of Noncompliance or PINCs developed and
coordinated in concert with ORP staff. ORP promotes safety through a
voluntary effort called the
Safety & Environmental Management Program (SEMP). This is a
performance-focused tool for integrating and managing offshore operations.
ORP also monitors operator performance through the development of
performance measurements such as the Operator Safety Index. This index is
used as one criterion for the
Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE) Program which recognizes exemplary
performance by offshore operators and contractors. Office of Offshore
Regulatory Programs employees work closely with regional and district
personnel on investigating accidents and producing
Incident Reports. Other ORP staff work with representatives of the
Environmental Division regarding
Environmental Compliance issues, the development of new or revised
environmental regulations, and addressing new legislation and proposed rules
originating in other agencies that may affect offshore oil and gas
activities.
For operators whose actions have
resulted in threats or actual harm to the human or marine environment, the
MMS has instituted a
Civil Penalties
Program. This program provides MMS with
the leverage to assess significant monetary penalties against operators who
knowingly and willfully compromise human and/or marine safety. Personnel in
ORP work with regional representatives to develop administrative cases
against operators for the purpose of invoking a civil penalty. Other staff
is involved with appeals of administrative decisions by operators or
lessees.
The ORP also manages the
Technology Assessment & Research Program. This program yields studies in
Operational Safety and Engineering Research , as well as
Oil Spill Response Research. The ORP also provides oversight to an oil
spill test tank facility called
Ohmsett which is located in New Jersey and provides
spill simulation and clean-up of oil capabilities.
In the area of deepwater oil
and gas applied research, ORP works closely with the University of Texas at
Austin and Texas A&M through the
Offshore Technology Resource Center (OTRC).
As with other Offshore
divisions, ORP participates frequently in
International Activities. MMS has formed partnerships and cooperative
arrangements with several countries on offshore oil and gas operational
issues.
Academic Backgrounds That
May Be Sought by the
Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs for Future Employees
The work of the
ORP is
primarily engineering-related but several employees have undergraduate or
advanced degrees in policy, management, geology, and other natural
sciences. Although certain types of knowledge and skill sets are more
helpful than others, some positions in the division do not require
specialized academic coursework or work history. Ideally, a successful
candidate for an ORP position as a Career Development Intern in the
Herndon, Virginia office should be a quick learner with an engineering
or geology degree and strong analytical, writing, and oral communication
skills. Any special training or experience in a discipline or job related
to the division’s primary responsibilities would be a plus. Even though this
announcement is written for the candidate whose base of experience will be
in the ORP, it should be understood that the successful applicant will also
be given assignments in other Offshore Divisions, including the Leasing
Division, the Environmental Division, and the Resource Evaluation Division.
The academic degrees
held by employees in the Herndon office include those in marine biology,
physical oceanography, economics, public policy, political science, geology,
engineering, history, math and computer science, and law. In addition, the
Leasing Division has a Mapping and Boundary Branch in the Denver area whose
employees tend to have fairly specialized backgrounds related to cartography
and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
More Information on the
Responsibilities of the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs
The ORP
staff provide programmatic and policy guidance for legislation, special
projects, and provide policy expertise in the areas of bonding,
Alternate Energy Legislation, and operational
issues related to the formation of units, issuance of suspensions,
prevention of waste, and conservation of natural resources. The ORP
maintains liaison with the Solicitor’s Office for the purpose of obtaining
legal opinions and instructions needed in Offshore Minerals Management
programs and for providing factual information and affidavits in litigated
cases in which MMS is involved. The ORP staff is frequently called upon to
prepare briefings and other visual presentations for upper management for
national and international conferences.
Privacy |
Disclaimers |
Accessibility |
Topic Index | FOIA
Last Updated:
10/22/2007,
01:39:48 PM
|
