If you propose exploration activities in the Alaska OCS Region, the following planning information must accompany your EP:

(a) Emergency plans. A description of your emergency plans to respond to a fire, explosion, personnel evacuation, or loss of well control, as well as a loss or disablement of a drilling unit, and loss of or damage to a support vessel, offshore vehicle, or aircraft.

(b) Critical operations and curtailment procedures. Critical operations and curtailment procedures for your exploration activities. The procedures must identify ice conditions, weather, and other constraints under which the exploration activities will either be curtailed or not proceed.

(c) If you propose exploration activities on the Arctic OCS, the following planning information must also accompany your EP:

(1) Suitability for Arctic OCS conditions. A description of how your exploratory drilling activities will be designed and conducted in a manner that accounts for Arctic OCS conditions and how such activities will be managed and overseen as an integrated endeavor.

(2) Ice and weather management. A description of your weather and ice forecasting and management plans for all phases of your exploratory drilling activities, including:

(i) A description of how you will respond to and manage ice hazards and weather events;

(ii) Your ice and weather alert procedures;

(iii) Your procedures and thresholds for activating your ice and weather management system(s); and

(iv) Confirmation that you will operate ice and weather management and alert systems continuously throughout the planned operations, including mobilization and demobilization operations to and from the Arctic OCS.

(3) Source control and containment equipment capabilities. A general description of how you will comply with §250.471 of this title.

(4) Deployment of a relief well rig. A general description of how you will comply with §250.472 of this title, including a description of the relief well rig, the anticipated staging area of the relief well rig, an estimate of the time it would take for the relief well rig to arrive at the site of a loss of well control, how you would drill a relief well if necessary, and the approximate timeframe to complete relief well operations.

(5) Resource-sharing. Any agreements you have with third parties for the sharing of assets or the provision of mutual aid in the event of an oil spill or other emergency.

(6) Anticipated end of seasonal operations dates. Your projected end of season dates, and the information used to identify those dates, for:

(i) The completion of on-site operations, which is contingent upon your capability in terms of equipment and procedures to manage and mitigate risks associated with Arctic OCS conditions; and

(ii) The termination of drilling operations consistent with the relief rig planning requirements under §250.472 of this title and with your estimated timeframe under paragraph (c)(4) of this section for completion of relief well operations.

[76 FR 64623, Oct. 18, 2011, as amended at 81 FR 46565, July 15, 2016]