Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
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| Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement |
| Formed | 2010 |
| Preceding1 | Minerals Management Service |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Parentagency | Department of the Interior |
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement was created in 2010 as a reorganization of the Minerals Management Service following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and associated critiques. It operated within the United States Department of the Interior and interacted with agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Coast Guard, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management successor entities until functions were redistributed.
History and Establishment
The agency emerged in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Congressional investigations into the spill that targeted the Minerals Management Service and officials who had overseen offshore leasing and inspections. Following recommendations from the Presidential Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling and hearings in the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the United States Department of the Interior announced restructuring, influenced by reports from the Government Accountability Office and the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Legislative responses included oversight from the United States House Committee on Natural Resources and proposals debated in the 111th United States Congress and 112th United States Congress.
Organization and Leadership
Organizational leadership was shaped by officials appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. The agency reported to the United States Secretary of the Interior and coordinated with the Office of Management and Budget on budgetary issues. Senior executives included rotating directors and deputies, many with prior experience at the Minerals Management Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Geological Survey. The agency's regional structure worked alongside federal regional offices such as those in the Gulf of Mexico, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Pacific Region, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Alaska Region under the later reorganized framework.
Functions and Regulatory Authority
Statutory authority derived from laws including the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, and involved coordination with the National Environmental Policy Act processes and the Endangered Species Act consultations administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The agency's functions encompassed permitting, lease administration, resource assessment, and safety inspections. It worked with the United States Geological Survey for resource estimates and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management successors for leasing policy, as well as engaging with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on energy infrastructure siting and the Department of Homeland Security on maritime security.
Oil and Gas Leasing and Resource Management
Leasing programs under the agency affected offshore activity in regions like the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean, involving stakeholders such as BP, Shell plc, Chevron Corporation, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips. Lease sales were contested in forums including the United States Court of Appeals and litigated under statutes cited by parties such as the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club, and the National Wildlife Federation. The agency used geological assessments from the United States Geological Survey and economic analyses often reviewed by the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Budget Office to structure lease terms, royalty rates, and revenue distribution involving the Department of the Treasury and state governments like Louisiana and Alaska.
Environmental Protection and Safety Oversight
Environmental reviews invoked the National Environmental Policy Act and required consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on impacts to species protected under the Endangered Species Act. Safety oversight included inspection regimes, well-control standards, and blowout-preventer requirements informed by investigations such as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement-commissioned reports and external reviews by the National Academy of Engineering and the American Petroleum Institute. The agency coordinated response planning with the United States Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, and industry responders like the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers and worked with academic partners at institutions such as Texas A&M University, University of Texas at Austin, and Louisiana State University.
Major Incidents and Controversies
The agency's creation was directly tied to controversy from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which elicited investigations by the United States Congress and the Department of Justice. Legal and policy debates involved high-profile litigation before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and settlements with companies like BP. Criticism also arose from environmental organizations including the Natural Resources Defense Council and Friends of the Earth, and from industry groups such as the American Petroleum Institute over regulatory certainty. Reports by the Government Accountability Office and inquiries by the Inspector General of the Department of the Interior examined ethics, enforcement, and conflicts of interest traced back to practices under the former Minerals Management Service.
Policy and Interagency Coordination
Policy development required coordination with entities including the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Coast Guard, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Commerce. International engagement touched multilateral processes like the International Maritime Organization and bilateral arrangements with nations bordering the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Council members. Congressional oversight continued via committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources, while reform proposals were debated across administrations including those of Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.