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(continued) tificial reef program, and the responsible State agency acquires a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and accepts title and liability for the structure; and
(b) You satisfy any U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) navigational requirements for the structure.
Site Clearance for Wells, Platforms, and Other Facilities
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§ 250.1740 How must I verify that the site of a permanently plugged well, removed platform, or other removed facility is clear of obstructions?
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Within 60 days after you permanently plug a well or remove a platform or other facility, you must verify that the site is clear of obstructions by using one of the following methods:
(a) For a well site, you must either:
(1) Drag a trawl over the site;
(2) Scan across the location using sonar equipment;
(3) Inspect the site using a diver;
(4) Videotape the site using a camera on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV); or
(5) Use another method approved by the District Supervisor if the particular site conditions warrant.
(b) For a platform or other facility site in water depths less than 300 feet, you must drag a trawl over the site.
(c) For a platform or other facility site in water depths 300 feet or more, you must either:
(1) Drag a trawl over the site;
(2) Scan across the site using sonar equipment; or
(3) Use another method approved by the Regional Supervisor if the particular site conditions warrant.
[67 FR 35406, May 17, 2002; 67 FR 66049, Oct. 30, 2002]
§ 250.1741 If I drag a trawl across a site, what requirements must I meet?
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If you drag a trawl across the site in accordance with §250.1740, you must meet all of the requirements of this section.
(a) You must drag the trawl in a grid-like pattern as shown in the following table:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a_ You must drag the trawl across a_
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(1) Well site................ 300-foot-radius circle centered on the
well location.
(2) Subsea well site......... 600-foot-radius circle centered on the
well location.
(3) Platform site............ 1,320-foot-radius circle centered on the
location of the platform.
(4) Single-well caisson, well 600-foot-radius circle centered on the
protector jacket, template, structure location.
or manifold.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(b) You must trawl 100 percent of the limits described in paragraph (a) of this section in two directions.
(c) You must mark the area to be cleared as a hazard to navigation according to USCG requirements until you complete the site clearance procedures.
(d) You must use a trawling vessel equipped with a calibrated navigational positioning system capable of providing position accuracy of ±30 feet.
(e) You must use a trawling net that is representative of those used in the commercial fishing industry (one that has a net strength equal or greater than that provided by No. 18 twine).
(f) You must ensure that you trawl no closer than 300 feet from a shipwreck, and 500 feet from a sensitive biological feature.
(g) If you trawl near an active pipeline, you must meet the requirements in the following table:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For_ You must trawl_ And you must_
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(1) Buried active pipelines. .................... First contact the
pipeline owner or
operator to
determine the
condition of the
pipeline before
trawling over the
buried pipeline.
(2) Unburied active no closer than 100 Trawl parallel to
pipelines that are 8 inches feet to the either the pipeline Do not
in diameter or larger. side of the trawl across the
pipeline. pipeline.
(3) Unburied smaller no closer than 100 Trawl parallel to
diameter active pipelines feet to either side the pipeline. Do
in the trawl area that have of the pipeline. not trawl across
obstructions (e.g., the pipeline.
pipeline valves) present.
(4) Unburied active parallel to the ....................
pipelines in the trawl area pipeline.
that are smaller than 8
inches in diameter and have
no obstructions present.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(h) You must ensure that any trawling contractor you may use:
(1) Has no corporate or other financial ties to you; and
(2) Has a valid commercial trawling license for both the vessel and its captain.
[67 FR 35406, May 17, 2002; 67 FR 44266, July 1, 2002; 67 FR 66049, Oct. 30, 2002]
§ 250.1742 What other methods can I use to verify that a site is clear?
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If you do not trawl a site, you can verify that the site is clear of obstructions by using any of the methods shown in the following table:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you use_ You must_ And you must_
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Sonar................... cover 100 percent of Use a sonar signal
the appropriate with a frequency of
grid area listed in at least 500 kHz.
§ 250.1741(a).
(b) A diver................. ensure that the Ensure that the
diver visually diver uses a search
inspects 100 pattern of
percent of the concentric circles
appropriate grid or parallel lines
area listed in spaced no more than
§ 250.1741(a). 10 feet apart.
(c) An ROV (remotely ensure that the ROV Ensure that the ROV
operated vehicle). camera records uses a pattern of
videotape over 100 concentric circles
percent of the or parallel lines
appropriate grid spaced no more than
area listed in 10 feet apart.
§ 250.1741(a).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[67 FR 35406, May 17, 2002; 67 FR 44266, July 1, 2002]
§ 250.1743 How do I certify that a site is clear of obstructions?
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(a) For a well site, you must submit to the appropriate District Supervisor within 30 days after you complete the verification activities a form MMS–124, Application for Permit to Modify, to include the following information:
(1) A signed certification that the well site area is cleared of all obstructions;
(2) The date the verification work was performed and the vessel used;
(3) The extent of the area surveyed;
(4) The survey method used;
(5) The results of the survey, including a list of any debris removed or a statement from the trawling contractor that no objects were recovered; and
(6) A post-trawling job plot or map showing the trawled area.
(b) For a platform or other facility site, you must submit the following information to the appropriate Regional Supervisor within 30 days after you complete the verification activities:
(1) A letter signed by an authorized company official certifying that the platform or other facility site area is cleared of all obstructions and that a company representative witnessed the verification activities;
(2) A letter signed by an authorized official of the company that performed the verification work for you certifying that they cleared the platform or other facility site area of all obstructions;
(3) The date the verification work was performed and the vessel used;
(4) The extent of the area surveyed;
(5) The survey method used;
(6) The results of the survey, including a list of any debris removed or a statement from the trawling contractor that no objects were recovered; and
(7) A post-trawling job plot or map showing the trawled area.
[67 FR 35406, May 17, 2002; 67 FR 66049, Oct. 30, 2002]
Pipeline Decommissioning
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§ 250.1750 When may I decommission a pipeline in place?
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You may decommission a pipeline in place when the Regional Supervisor determines that the pipeline does not constitute a hazard (obstruction) to navigation and commercial fishing operations, unduly interfere with other uses of the OCS, or have adverse environmental effects.
§ 250.1751 How do I decommission a pipeline in place?
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You must do the following to decommission a pipeline in place:
(a) Submit a pipeline decommissioning application in triplicate to the Regional Supervisor for approval that includes the following information:
(1) Reason for the operation;
(2) Proposed decommissioning procedures;
(3) Length (feet) of segment to be decommissioned; and
(4) Length (feet) of segment remaining.
(b) Pig the pipeline, unless the Regional Supervisor determines that pigging is not practical;
(c) Flush the pipeline;
(d) Fill the pipeline with seawater;
(e) Cut and plug each end of the pipeline;
(f) Bury each end of the pipeline at least 3 feet below the seafloor or cover each end with protective concrete mats, if required by the Regional Supervisor; and
(g) Remove all pipeline valves and other fittings that could unduly interfere with other uses of the OCS.
§ 250.1752 How do I remove a pipeline?
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Before removing a pipeline, you must:
(a) Submit a pipeline removal application in triplicate to the Regional Supervisor for approval that includes the following information:
(1) Proposed removal procedures;
(2) If the Regional Supervisor requires it, a description, including anchor pattern(s), of the vessel(s) you will use to remove the pipeline;
(3) Length (feet) to be removed;
(4) Length (feet) of the segment that will remain in place;
(5) Plans for transportation of the removed pipe for disposal or salvage;
(6) Plans to protect archaeological and sensitive biological features during removal operations, including a brief assessment of the environmental impacts of the removal operations and procedures and mitigation measures that you will take to minimize such impacts; and
(7) Projected removal schedule and duration.
(b) Pig the pipeline, unless the Regional Supervisor determines that pigging is not practical; and
(c) Flush the pipeline.
§ 250.1753 After I decommission a pipeline, what information must I submit?
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Within 30 days after you decommission a pipeline, you must submit a written report to the Regional Supervisor that includes the following:
(a) A summary of the decommissioning operation including the date it was completed;
(b) A description of any mitigation measures you took; and
(c) A statement signed by your authorized representative that certifies that the pipeline was decommissioned according to the approved application.
§ 250.1754 When must I remove a pipeline decommissioned in place?
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You must remove a pipeline decommissioned in place if the Regional Supervisor determines that the pipeline is an obstruction.