Page 26: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Mar/Apr 2023)

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INTERVIEW KEVIN SLIGH SR., DIRECTOR, BSEE engineering expertise to help us do the facility design and ny like Equinor or Ørsted or Dominion working on their facility installation reviews moving forward. As offshore own. We need to have consensus-based safety standards wind ramps up and Congress has provided us personnel to that will then be incorporated by reference back into our do the work, we’re in the process of a huge hiring phase, new 285 Reg that we anticipate we’ll be putting out a no- hiring new engineers to be able to do the work and also tice of proposed rulemaking by the end of the year.

building out and creating standard operating procedures

Staying on that safety note, can you describe and notice the lessees to make sure that we’re as transpar-

BSEE’s process for conducting inspections of ent as possible in communicating with industry.

ofshore energy production activities and spe- [Looking at how oil and gas differs from offshore wind], cifcally how it ensures adherence to those safety

I think they are different risk profles, and in the future, I regulations?

will fag carbon sequestration, as we’re currently working on a rule with BOEM to fgure that piece from a regula- In the case of [offshore] oil and gas, we have about 120 tory standpoint. [While offshore oil and gas and offshore BSEE inspectors that go out on the road to the Gulf of wind] are different risk profles, ultimately, it’s all about Mexico, to the west coast, and to Alaska to conduct risk- trying to deliver energy for our country. based inspections.

We’re in the nascent stages of building out what that’s

How does BSEE see ofshore wind energy develop- going to look like for offshore wind. Do we need that ing in the coming fve years?

many inspectors to fy out to these turbines? I don’t think

Great question, Greg. Within the next fve years, we’re so. Do we need inspectors to be able to go onto these elec- expecting approximately 24-25 offshore wind projects on trical substations? Of course. 19 leases to be in commercial operations or the late con- So right now, we’re working on an inspections program struction phase. for offshore wind … an inspections program to make sure

By 2028, we’ll be up to almost 2,000 turbines on the that the OCS as it relates to offshore wind, oil and gas, and

OCS on those 19 leases, along with 44 electrical substa- in the future, carbon sequestration, stays as safe as possible.

tions offshore.

Think of the foating production facilities in the Gulf of

What do you see as some of the technological ad- vancements that BSEE is currently looking at to

Mexico and off the coast of California, 44 of those alone improve the safety and environmental protection off the east coast [with more to come on the west coast and in ofshore energy production?

Gulf of Mexico]. With that, this administration is focusing on high-paying union jobs and skilled positions to be able Technological advancements can stem from various op- to build out all of the different needs that are going to oc- erations engaged by a production facility. Initiatives can cur on the OCS. We’re going to stimulate local economies. span from routine activities, such as accessing a vessel/tank for cleaning and inspection through cameras/devices to

What do you see as the primary challenges to hav- serve as visual aids and to eliminate confned space hazards ing ofshore wind energy develop as you envision?

for personnel, or non-routine activities, such as enhance-

This industry’s been around for a long time; onshore ments for monitoring subsea wells to clearly and defni- here domestically, offshore internationally. There’s a lot of tively observe pressure fuctuations that indicate potential regulatory insights that the international community can leaks to highly specialized project requiring specialized bring to bear and help us out with. But I go back to my technical abilities, such as High Pressure – High Tempera-

Coast Guard and FEMA emergency management roots; ture projects to new technologies available to address oil it’s coming up with consensus-based safety standards. spills, such as the Low-Emission Spray Crude Oil Com-

That’s going to be the challenge. bustor technology [also known as the BSEE Burner].

You have different entities … American Clean Power … BSEE’s Environmental Compliance Program (ECP)

American Petroleum Institute … the Offshore Operators works with BOEM OCS resource leads to assess im-

Committee here in the U.S., and other organizations that proved methodologies/new technologies intended to de- are all working on their own standards. I’ve challenged my crease/negate environmental impacts during offshore op- team to say, ‘Hey, we need to really get our arms wrapped erations. Examples include the bureaus’ coordination with around these safety standards.’ We don’t need one compa- NOAA and NASA on the use of satellites for OCS emis- 26 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM