The Offshore Pipeline Safety Act requires the federal government to strengthen safety and environmental protections for offshore oil and gas pipelines. The bill directs the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to finalize updated regulations within 18 months that require pipeline owners to conduct inspections every two years and install leak detection systems. The legislation also requires federal agencies to study the risks of leaving old pipelines on the ocean floor versus removing them, with recommendations due within 18 months, and mandates the Bureau to monitor all decommissioned pipelines and address any exposed pipeline segments. Additionally, the bill creates an annual fee on pipeline owners—ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 per mile depending on water depth—to fund pipeline decommissioning if owners go bankrupt. The bill also calls for a separate study on environmental risks from chemicals used in oil and gas operations, with findings due within two years.
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