Washington (Platts)--13Dec2010/554 pm EST/2254 GMT

Federal regulators on Monday issued guidelines for compliance with new US offshore drilling safety requirements, saying the document would help clarify what is expected from exploration companies seeking to dig deepwater wells in the Outer Continental Shelf.

The guidelines explain how to comply in cementing, certification of oil spill response plans, and testing of blowout preventers, among other items. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement issued the guidelines after discussions with drillers, who have said that confusion over what was required to meet new rules was delaying permits.

"As we continue to strengthen oversight and safety and environmental protections, we must ensure that the oil and gas industry has clear direction on what is expected," BOEM Director Michael Bromwich said in a statement. "Following discussions with members of the oil and gas industry, it is clear that this information will assist in their implementation of the stronger safety and environmental standards we have put in place."

The document released Monday does not contain any new regulations or requirements. Instead, it clarifies such issues as how to calculate a worst-case discharge and what arrangements must be in place to deal with a massive blowout and spill.

The guidelines also clarify the notice drillers must give to BOEM before tests on blowout preventers. The notice is required to give BOEM inspectors the option of witnessing the tests in person.

The document also expands on the requirement that a negative pressure test be conducted several times during the drilling process. Specifically, the document states that "any detection of flow or pressure build up will be considered a failed test."

Investigations into the April blowout of BP's Macondo exploratory oil well in the Gulf of Mexico showed there was little agreement over how a negative pressure test should be conducted or how to interpret the results. Despite the fact that several tests showed pressure buildup in the wellbore, operators on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig decided that the test was successful and proceeded with temporary abandonment.

--Gary Gentile, gary_gentile@platts.com

Similar stories appear in Oilgram News. See more information at http://bit.ly/OilgramNews