The American Petroleum Institute and Mexico’s recently created oil and gas regulatory agency, the National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection of the Hydrocarbons Sector (ASEA), reached an agreement for ASEA to get access for its safety programs to API’s technical standards and recommended practices.
The memorandum of understanding that API and ASEA reached earlier this month assures that ASEA will be able to include the API recommended standards and practices in its own regulations, API said. The MOU also supports the opportunity for regulatory agencies in the Gulf of Mexico to cooperate in implementing safety and environmental management systems (SEMS) based on API’s Recommended Practice 75 and Center for Offshore Safety (COS) processes and best practices, it added.
The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has incorporated SEMS into its federal regulatory requirements for offshore oil and gas operations in US waters, API noted.
“This collaboration between Mexican regulators, API, and COS demonstrates our leadership and expertise on how to work closely with regulators to continuously improve and enhance the safety and operational management systems to responsibly develop offshore energy resources,” said API Vice-Pres. of Global Industry Services Lisa Salley.
“By supporting the alignment of SEMS programs and regulations in the Gulf of Mexico, regulators, operators, and contractors alike can further the industry-wide goal of achieving greater safety offshore,” said Jimena Marvan, ASEA’s deputy director of planning, processes, and strategic stakeholders engagement.
Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].
