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Even as the frenetic pace of activity shows no sign of let- ting up, offshore vessel owners in the Gulf of Mexico have expanded safety and environmental training, kept detailed records on those activities, and conducted self audits as they adjust to regulations adopted by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) in 2011. The new rules followed ? and come as a direct result of ? the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill. In October, David Barousse, general manager of Fleet Operators, Inc., explained to MarineNews just how the agency?s Safety and Environmental Management System or SEMS has affected operations at his company in Morgan City, La. Fleet Op- erators owns and runs utility and supply vessels used in oil- and-gas exploration and production in the Gulf. It turns out that the ?new normal? is far different from the situation which existed in a pre-Macondo world. BSEE: THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) was formally established on October 1, 2011 as part of a major reorganization of the Department of the Interior?s offshore regulatory structure. According to BSEE, the department uses the full range of authorities, policies and tools to compel safety, emergency preparedness, envi- ronmental responsibility and appropriate development and conservation of offshore oil and natural gas resources. The bureau has of ces in Anchorage, AK, Camarillo, CA, and New Orleans, as well as other, smaller of ces scattered along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Key functions of this agency include: an offshore regulatory program that develops stan- dards and regulations and emphasizes a culture of safety in all offshore activities; oil spill response preparation including review of industry Oil Spill Response Plans to ensure compliance COMPLIANCEAdjusting To Post-Macondo Safety RulesAdjusting To Post-Macondo Safety Rules Fleet Operators Weigh in on the New Normal Fleet Operators Weigh in on the New Normal By Susan Buchanan U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Of Þ cer 3rd Class Patrick Kelley November 201332 MNMN November2013 Layout 32-49.indd 32MN November2013 Layout 32-49.indd 3210/28/2013 3:17:37 PM10/28/2013 3:17:37 PM
