IADC supports latest BSEE Safety and Environmental Management Systems rule

Houston, 4 April 2013 -IADC supports the Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) II final rule issued today by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).

This latest rule is a complement to the original SEMS rule, issued in October 2010 and known as the Workplace Safety Rule. The SEMS II ruling was drafted to further protect workers and the environment from preventable accidents. It provides for more participation by employees and empowers field personnel to make safety management decisions. Additionally, it will require audits be conducted by accredited third parties.

“IADC is pleased that BSEE has understood and responded in a positive way to many of the concerns raised by our organization and other industry stakeholders in response to the proposed rule,” said Alan Spackman, vice president, IADC offshore division. “This rule is intended to address a myriad of complex operations associated with the effective management of offshore oil and gas activities. One area of concern remains; because there were significant changes with respect to auditing, we have not had time yet to form a judgment regarding their potential impact on the industry. These primarily impact clients of IADC members, and IADC will be joining with other industry groups to address this issue and to analyze the rule in depth. We trust that BSEE will work with the industry to improve or provide further clarification of the rule should it prove necessary.”

The SEMS II rule issued today becomes effective on June 4, 2013.

About IADC

IADC is dedicated to enhancing the interests of oil-and-gas and geothermal drilling contractors worldwide. IADC’s contract-drilling members own most of the world’s land and offshore drilling units and drill the vast majority of the wells that produce the planet’s oil and gas. IADC’s membership also includes oil-and-gas producers, and manufacturers and suppliers of oilfield equipment and services. Founded in 1940, IADC’s mission is to improve industry health, safety and environmental practices; advance drilling and completion technology; and champion responsible standards, practices, legislation and regulations that provide for safe, efficient and environmentally sound drilling operations worldwide. IADC holds Accredited Observer status at the International Maritime Organization and the International Seabed Authority, specialized agencies of the United Nations. The Association is a leader in developing standards for industry training, notably its Well Control Accreditation Program (WellCAP)® and rig-floor orientation program, RIG PASS®. IADC is headquartered in Houston and has offices in Washington D.C., the Netherlands, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as chapters in the UK, Venezuela, Brazil, Australasia, South Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and across the United States. For more information, visit the IADC website at www.iadc.org.