(a) The lessee shall conduct all exploration, testing, development, and production activities and other operations in a safe and workmanlike manner and shall maintain equipment in a manner which assures the protection of the lease and its improvements, the health and safety of all persons, and the conservation of property, and the environment.

(b) Nothing in this part shall preclude the use of new or alternative technologies, techniques, procedures, equipment, or activities, other than those prescribed in the regulations of this part, if such other technologies, techniques, procedures, equipment, or activities afford a degree of protection, safety, and performance equal to or better than that intended to be achieved by the regulations of this part, provided the lessee obtains the written approval of the Director prior to the use of such new or alternative technologies, techniques, procedures, equipment, or activities.

(c) The lessee shall immediately notify the Director when there is a death or serious injury; fire, explosion, or other hazardous event which threatens damage to life, a mineral deposit, or equipment; spills of oil, chemical reagents, or other liquid pollutants which could cause pollution; or damage to aquatic life or the environment associated with operations on the lease. As soon as practical, the lessee shall file a detailed report on the event and action(s) taken to control the situation and to mitigate any further damage.

(d)

(1) Lessees shall provide means, at all reasonable hours either day or night, for the Director to inspect or investigate the conditions of the operation and to determine whether applicable regulations; terms and conditions of the lease; and the requirements of the approved Delineation, Testing, or Mining Plan are being met.

(2) A lessee shall, on request by the Director, furnish food, quarters, and transportation for BSEE representatives to inspect its facilities. Upon request, you will be reimbursed by BSEE for the actual costs that you incur as a result of providing transportation to BSEE representatives. In addition, you will be reimbursed for the actual costs that you incur for providing food and quarters for a BSEE representative's stay of more than 12 hours. You must submit an invoice for reimbursement within 90 days of the inspection.

(e) Mining and processing vessels, platforms, structures, artificial islands, and mobile drilling units which have helicopter landing facilities shall be identified with at least one sign using letters and figures not less than 12 inches in height. Signs for structures without helicopter landing facilities shall be identified with at least one sign using letters and figures not less than 3 inches in height. Signs shall be affixed at a location that is visible to approaching traffic and shall contain the following information which may be abbreviated:

(1) Name of the lease operator;

(2) The area designation based on Official OCS Protraction Diagrams;

(3) The block number in which the facility is located; and

(4) Vessel, platform, structure, or rig name.

(f)

(1) Drilling.

(i) When drilling on lands valuable or potentially valuable for oil and gas or geopressured or geothermal resources, drilling equipment shall be equipped with blowout prevention and control devices acceptable to the Director before penetrating more than 500 feet unless a different depth is specified in advance by the Director.

(ii) In cases where the Director determines that there is sufficient likelihood of encountering pressurized hydrocarbons, the Director may require that the lessee comply with all or portions of the requirements in part 250, subpart D, of this title.

(iii) Before drilling any hole which may penetrate an aquifer, the lessee shall follow the procedures included in the approved plan for the penetration and isolation of the aquifer during the drilling operation, during use of the hole, and for subsequent abandonment of the hole.

(iv) Cuttings from holes drilled on the lease shall be disposed of and monitored in accordance with the approved plan.

(v) The use of muds in drilling holes on the lease and their subsequent disposition shall be according to the approved plan.

(2) All drill holes which are susceptible to logging shall be logged, and the lessee shall prepare a detailed lithologic log of each drill hole. Drill holes which are drilled deeper than 500 feet shall be drilled in a manner which permits logging. Copies of logs of cores and cuttings and all in-hole surveys such as electronic logs, gamma ray logs, neutron density logs, and sonic logs shall be provided to the Director.

(3) Drill holes for exploration, testing, development, or production shall be properly plugged and abandoned to the satisfaction of the Director in accordance with the approved plan and in such a manner as to protect the surface and not endanger any operation; any freshwater aquifer; or deposit of oil, gas, or other mineral substance.

(g) The use of explosives on the lease shall be in accordance with the approved plan.

(h)

(1) Any equipment placed on the seabed shall be designed to allow its recovery and removal upon abandonment of leasehold activities.

(2) Disposal of equipment, cables, chains, containers, or other materials into the ocean is prohibited.

(3) Materials, equipment, tools, containers, and other items used on the OCS which are of such shape or configuration that they are likely to snag or damage fishing devices shall be handled and marked as follows:

(i) All loose materials, small tools, and other small objects shall be kept in a suitable storage area or a marked container when not in use or in a marked container before transport over OCS waters;

(ii) All cable, chain, or wire segments shall be recovered after use and securely stored;

(iii) Skid-mounted equipment, portable containers, spools or reels, and drums shall be marked with the owner's name prior to use or transport over OCS waters; and

(iv) All markings must clearly identify the owner and must be durable enough to resist the effects of the environmental conditions to which they are exposed.

(4) Any equipment or material described in paragraphs (h)(2), (h)(3)(ii), and (iii) of this section that is lost overboard shall be recorded on the daily operations report of the facility and reported to the Director and to the U.S. Coast Guard.

(i) Any bulk sampling or testing that is necessary to be conducted prior to submission of a Mining Plan shall be in accordance with an approved Testing Plan. The sale of any OCS minerals acquired under an approved Testing Plan shall be subject to the payment of the royalty specified in the lease to the United States.

(j) Installations and structures: (1) The lessee shall design, fabricate, install, use, inspect, and maintain all installations and structures, including platforms on the OCS, to assure the structural integrity of all installations and structures for the safe conduct of exploration, testing, mining, and processing activities considering the specific environmental conditions at the location of the installation or structure.

(2) All fixed or bottom-founded platforms or other structures, e.g., artificial islands shall be designed, fabricated, installed, inspected, and maintained in accordance with the provisions of 30 CFR part 250, subpart I.

(k) The lessee shall not produce any OCS mineral until the method of measurement and the procedures for product valuation have been instituted in accordance with the approved Testing or Mining Plan. The lessee shall enter the weight or quantity and quality of each mineral produced in accordance with 30 CFR 582.29.

(l) The lessee shall conduct OCS mineral processing operations in accordance with the approved Testing or Mining Plan and use due diligence in the reduction, concentration, or separation of mineral substances by mechanical or chemical processes, by evaporation, or other means, so that the percentage of concentrates or other mineral substances are recovered in accordance with the practices approved in the Testing or Mining Plan.

(m) No material shall be discharged or disposed of except in accordance with the approved disposal practice and procedures contained in the approved Delineation, Testing, or Mining Plan.

[76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, as amended at 81 FR 36154, June 6, 2016]