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Notes

30 C.F.R. §§ 250.909–250.918

10 sections in range

§250.909. What is the Platform Verification Program?

30 C.F.R. § 250.909

The Platform Verification Program is the BSEE approval process for ensuring that floating platforms; platforms of a new or unique design; platforms in seismic areas; or platforms located in deepwater or frontier areas meet stringent requirements for design and construction. The program is applied during construction of new platforms and major modifications of, or repairs to, existing platforms. These requirements are in addition to the requirements of the Platform Approval Program described in §§ 250.904 through 250.908 of this subpart.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.910. Which of my facilities are subject to the Platform Verification Program?

30 C.F.R. § 250.910

(a)
All new fixed or bottom-founded platforms that meet any of the following five conditions are subject to the Platform Verification Program:
(1)
Platforms installed in water depths exceeding 400 feet (122 meters);
(2)
Platforms having natural periods in excess of 3 seconds;
(3)
Platforms installed in areas of unstable bottom conditions;
(4)
Platforms having configurations and designs which have not previously been used or proven for use in the area; or
(5)
Platforms installed in seismically active areas.
(b)
All new floating platforms are subject to the Platform Verification Program to the extent indicated in the following table:
(c)
If a platform is originally subject to the Platform Verification Program, then the conversion of that platform at that same site for a new purpose, or making a major modification of, or major repair to, that platform, is also subject to the Platform Verification Program. A major modification includes any modification that increases loading on a platform by 10 percent or more. A major repair is a corrective operation involving structural members affecting the structural integrity of a portion or all of the platform. Before you make a major modification or repair to a floating platform, you must obtain approval from both the BSEE and the USCG.
(d)
The applicability of Platform Verification Program requirements to other types of facilities will be determined by BSEE on a case-by-case basis.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.911. If my platform is subject to the Platform Verification Program, what must I do?

30 C.F.R. § 250.911

If your platform, conversion, or major modification or repair meets the criteria in § 250.910, you must:
(a)
Design, fabricate, install, use, maintain and inspect your platform, conversion, or major modification or repair to your platform according to the requirements of this subpart, and the applicable documents listed in § 250.901(a) of this subpart;
(b)
Comply with all the requirements of the Platform Approval Program found in §§ 250.904 through 250.908 of this subpart.
(c)
Submit for the Regional Supervisor's approval three copies each of the design verification, fabrication verification, and installation verification plans required by § 250.912;
(d)
Submit a complete schedule of all phases of design, fabrication, and installation for the Regional Supervisor's approval. You must include a project management timeline, Gantt Chart, that depicts when interim and final reports required by §§ 250.916, 250.917, and 250.918 will be submitted to the Regional Supervisor for each phase. On the timeline, you must break-out the specific scopes of work that inherently stand alone (e.g., deck, mooring systems, tendon systems, riser systems, turret systems).
(e)
Include your nomination of a Certified Verification Agent (CVA) as a part of each verification plan required by § 250.912;
(f)
Follow the additional requirements in §§ 250.913 through 250.918;
(g)
Obtain approval for modifications to approved plans and for major deviations from approved installation procedures from the Regional Supervisor; and
(h)
Comply with applicable USCG regulations for floating OCS facilities.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.912. What plans must I submit under the Platform Verification Program?

30 C.F.R. § 250.912

If your platform, associated structure, or major modification meets the criteria in § 250.910, you must submit the following plans to the Regional Supervisor for approval:
(a)
Design verification plan. You may submit your design verification plan to BSEE with or subsequent to the submittal of your Development and Production Plan (DPP) or Development Operations Coordination Document (DOCD) to BOEM. Your design verification must be conducted by, or be under the direct supervision of, a registered professional civil or structural engineer or equivalent, or a naval architect or marine engineer or equivalent, with previous experience in directing the design of similar facilities, systems, structures, or equipment. For floating platforms, you must ensure that the requirements of the USCG for structural integrity and stability, e.g., verification of center of gravity, etc., have been met. Your design verification plan must include the following:
(1)
All design documentation specified in § 250.905 of this subpart;
(2)
Abstracts of the computer programs used in the design process; and
(3)
A summary of the major design considerations and the approach to be used to verify the validity of these design considerations.
(b)
Fabrication verification plan. The Regional Supervisor must approve your fabrication verification plan before you may initiate any related operations. Your fabrication verification plan must include the following:
(1)
Fabrication drawings and material specifications for artificial island structures and major members of concrete-gravity and steel-gravity structures;
(2)
For jacket and floating structures, all the primary load-bearing members included in the space-frame analysis; and
(3)
A summary description of the following—
(i)
Structural tolerances;
(ii)
Welding procedures;
(iii)
Material (concrete, gravel, or silt) placement methods;
(iv)
Fabrication standards;
(v)
Material quality-control procedures;
(vi)
Methods and extent of nondestructive examinations for welds and materials; and
(vii)
Quality assurance procedures.
(c)
Installation verification plan. The Regional Supervisor must approve your installation verification plan before you may initiate any related operations. Your installation verification plan must include:
(1)
A summary description of the planned marine operations;
(2)
Contingencies considered;
(3)
Alternative courses of action; and
(4)
An identification of the areas to be inspected. You must specify the acceptance and rejection criteria to be used for any inspections conducted during installation, and for the post-installation verification inspection.
(d)
You must combine fabrication verification and installation verification plans for manmade islands or platforms fabricated and installed in place.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.913. When must I resubmit Platform Verification Program plans?

30 C.F.R. § 250.913

(a)
You must resubmit any design verification, fabrication verification, or installation verification plan to the Regional Supervisor for approval if:
(1)
The CVA changes;
(2)
The CVA's or assigned personnel's qualifications change; or
(3)
The level of work to be performed changes.
(b)
If only part of a verification plan is affected by one of the changes described in paragraph (a) of this section, you can resubmit only the affected part. You do not have to resubmit the summary of technical details unless you make changes in the technical details.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.914. How do I nominate a CVA?

30 C.F.R. § 250.914

(a)
As part of your design verification, fabrication verification, or installation verification plan, you must nominate a CVA for the Regional Supervisor's approval. You must specify whether the nomination is for the design, fabrication, or installation phase of verification, or for any combination of these phases.
(b)
For each CVA, you must submit a list of documents to be forwarded to the CVA, and a qualification statement that includes the following:
(1)
Previous experience in third-party verification or experience in the design, fabrication, installation, or major modification of offshore oil and gas platforms. This should include fixed platforms, floating platforms, manmade islands, other similar marine structures, and related systems and equipment;
(2)
Technical capabilities of the individual or the primary staff for the specific project;
(3)
Size and type of organization or corporation;
(4)
In-house availability of, or access to, appropriate technology. This should include computer programs, hardware, and testing materials and equipment;
(5)
Ability to perform the CVA functions for the specific project considering current commitments;
(6)
Previous experience with BSEE requirements and procedures;
(7)
The level of work to be performed by the CVA.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.915. What are the CVA's primary responsibilities?

30 C.F.R. § 250.915

(a)
The CVA must conduct specified reviews according to §§ 250.916, 250.917, and 250.918 of this subpart.
(b)
Individuals or organizations acting as CVAs must not function in any capacity that would create a conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest.
(c)
The CVA must consider the applicable provisions of the documents listed in § 250.901(a); the alternative codes, rules, and standards approved under § 250.901(b); and the requirements of this subpart.
(d)
The CVA is the primary contact with the Regional Supervisor and is directly responsible for providing immediate reports of all incidents that affect the design, fabrication and installation of the platform.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.916. What are the CVA's primary duties during the design phase?

30 C.F.R. § 250.916

(a)
The CVA must use good engineering judgment and practices in conducting an independent assessment of the design of the platform, major modification, or repair. The CVA must ensure that the platform, major modification, or repair is designed to withstand the environmental and functional load conditions appropriate for the intended service life at the proposed location.
(b)
Primary duties of the CVA during the design phase include the following—
(c)
The CVA must submit interim reports and a final report to the Regional Supervisor, and to you, during the design phase in accordance with the approved schedule required by § 250.911(d). In each interim and final report the CVA must:
(1)
Provide a summary of the material reviewed and the CVA's findings;
(2)
In the final CVA report, make a recommendation that the Regional Supervisor either accept, request modifications, or reject the proposed design unless such a recommendation has been previously made in an interim report;
(3)
Describe the particulars of how, by whom, and when the independent review was conducted; and
(4)
Provide any additional comments the CVA deems necessary.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.917. What are the CVA's primary duties during the fabrication phase?

30 C.F.R. § 250.917

(a)
The CVA must use good engineering judgment and practices in conducting an independent assessment of the fabrication activities. The CVA must monitor the fabrication of the platform or major modification to ensure that it has been built according to the approved design and the fabrication plan. If the CVA finds that fabrication procedures are changed or design specifications are modified, the CVA must inform you. If you accept the modifications, then the CVA must so inform the Regional Supervisor.
(b)
Primary duties of the CVA during the fabrication phase include the following—
(c)
The CVA must submit interim reports and a final report to the Regional Supervisor, and to you, during the fabrication phase in accordance with the approved schedule required by § 250.911(d). In each interim and final report the CVA must:
(1)
Give details of how, by whom, and when the independent monitoring activities were conducted;
(2)
Describe the CVA's activities during the verification process;
(3)
Summarize the CVA's findings;
(4)
Confirm or deny compliance with the design specifications and the approved fabrication plan;
(5)
In the final CVA report, make a recommendation to accept or reject the fabrication unless such a recommendation has been previously made in an interim report; and
(6)
Provide any additional comments that the CVA deems necessary.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

§250.918. What are the CVA's primary duties during the installation phase?

30 C.F.R. § 250.918

(a)
The CVA must use good engineering judgment and practice in conducting an independent assessment of the installation activities.
(b)
Primary duties of the CVA during the installation phase include the following—
(c)
The CVA must submit interim reports and a final report to the Regional Supervisor, and to you, during the installation phase in accordance with the approved schedule required by § 250.911(d). In each interim and final report the CVA must:
(1)
Give details of how, by whom, and when the independent monitoring activities were conducted;
(2)
Describe the CVA's activities during the verification process;
(3)
Summarize the CVA's findings;
(4)
Confirm or deny compliance with the approved installation plan;
(5)
In the final report, make a recommendation to accept or reject the installation unless such a recommendation has been previously made in an interim report; and
(6)
Provide any additional comments that the CVA deems necessary.
Notes, amendments, and revision history

Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.

Source

Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.