The Drilling Safety Rule
Adapted for use in the New Zealand Territorial Sea, Exclusive Economic Zone, and Extended Continental Shelf
The Department of Labour:
- requests that operators voluntarily adopt this (adapted) Drilling Safety Rule from this summer’s drilling season (from September 2011)
- recommends that operators and inspection bodies regard this rule as part of the evolving accepted industry practice for safety in relation to wellbore integrity and well control equipment.
The Drilling Safety Rule will provide an interim measure to enhance the safety of petroleum drilling operations before recommendations from the Department’s proposed review of the Health and Safety in Employment (Petroleum Exploration and Extraction) Regulations 1999 are implemented. The Department intends to complete this review and implement any recommendations before the drilling season of 2012/2013 (by September 2012).
Background
The primary purpose of the Drilling Safety Rule is to clarify and incorporate safeguards that will decrease the likelihood of a blowout occurring during drilling operations. The safeguards address wellbore integrity and well control equipment, and the Drilling Safety Rule focuses on these two overarching issues.
The Drilling Safety Rule was prepared by the (US) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) as part of broader reforms to address safety concerns raised by the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon event in the Gulf of Mexico. On 14 October 2010 it was published by the (US) Federal Register and took effect on that date.
Most of the provisions in the Drilling Safety Rule were identified in the Safety Measures Report that was prepared in the immediate aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon event.[1] A wide range of experts from government, academic institutions, industry, and advocacy organisations were consulted in developing the Report. In addition the draft recommendations were peer reviewed by seven experts identified by the (US) National Academy of Engineering.
Want more details?
The Drilling Safety Rule (adapted for use in New Zealand)
The Drilling Safety Rule in the (US) Federal Register [pdf file 237KB]
For further information on the Drilling Safety Rule issued by the (US) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement go to their website
Point of contact
For further information contact Myles Brennan on (04) 915 4700.
Footnote
[1] The 27 May 2010 report from the Secretary of the Interior to the US President entitled, "Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf"
