PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 456.
Congressional Research Service
Version 07 · Reported to House · Dec 14, 2022
Offshore Pipeline Safety Act
This bill establishes requirements to address the environmental risks of decommissioned oil and gas pipelines on the seafloor.
Specifically, the bill requires the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to finalize regulations proposed in 2007 related to offshore pipelines. The regulations must require owners of oil and gas pipelines to provide for biannual, third-party inspections of pipelines and to equip pipelines with leak detection systems or devices. Further, the BSEE must issue regulations to charge an annual fee on such owners for the purpose of providing the BSEE with funds to decommission or remove offshore pipelines in the event the owner files for bankruptcy.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
When determining whether to permit an owner to decommission such pipelines, the BSEE must consider the navigational hazards, any interferences with other uses of the Outer Continental Shelf, and the environmental impacts of the pipelines.
In addition, the BSEE must continually monitor the condition and location of all oil and gas pipelines that have been decommissioned and remain in place. If the BSEE identifies an exposed segment of any active or decommissioned pipeline, then it must either remove the pipeline from the ocean or ensure it is properly decommissioned and does not pose a threat. If a segment of any active pipeline is exposed or shifts, then the BSEE must resecure the segment to the sea floor.
People & committees
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 456.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 117-633.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 117-633.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 18.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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