To increase protection of marine archaeological resources, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is proposing a requirement for oil and gas lessees and operators to submit an archaeological report with all plans for exploration or development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) that propose seabed disturbance. Currently, an archaeological report is required only if...Read More

A new report released in Dec. 2022 by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) calculates the contributions of often-overlooked portions of the ocean economy, concluding that regional marine research and education, state expenditures related to the ocean, and coastal electricity production in the mid-Atlantic area support 38,000 jobs and $25.5 billion in annual...Read More

The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (Committee) is scheduled to meet virtually on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 to provide a final report on whether to delay implementation of electronic Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card inspection for certain high-risk vessels and facilities regulated under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA). Written comments on...Read More

Video Above:  The U.S. Department of Energy and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management hosted a webinar in Fall 2022 on their ambitious initiatives to position the U.S. to lead the world on floating offshore wind design, development, manufacturing, and deployment. Download the slides from this webinar.  (Credit:  U.S. Department of Energy)   On Feb....Read More

New name reflects importance of the SouthCoast—a pivotal region in the transformation to a clean energy future  SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC, a joint venture of Shell New Energies US LLC and Ocean Winds North America, is the new name for Mayflower Wind. This change better reflects the company’s commitment to the people, businesses and communities...Read More

Maritime navigation is about to become safer, easier and more efficient thanks to the new “Harmonized Waterways” project, part of massive joint effort by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Coast Guard (USGC) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to synchronize identifiers (such as names and abbreviations) for rivers, bays and...Read More

For America’s oil and gas industry, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM’s) responsibilities as defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) are significant. They extend over approximately 1.76 billion acres of America’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), and include resource assessments; providing appropriate access to energy and mineral resources; environmental, economic, and fiscal reviews;...Read More

Released Mon., Jan. 23, 2023, the highly anticipated “Supply Chain Road Map for Offshore Wind Energy in the United States” identifies key actions that could help to develop a fully domestic U.S. offshore wind energy supply chain.  It also evaluates how the supply chain can evolve to support the national offshore wind target and position...Read More

Some offshore renewable energy regulations (mostly pertaining to offshore wind) dealing with workplace safety and environmental compliance will be transferred from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), the U.S. Department of Interior announced yesterday, Jan. 17, 2023. A joint notice to lessees outlines the transfer of...Read More

Get an advanced copy of the proposed new Rules HERE. It’s estimated that offshore wind developers will save approximately $1 billion over a 20-year period thanks to updated regulations for clean energy development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) that were proposed this week on January 12, 2023. The first Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)...Read More