BSEE participates in inaugural forum

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has participated in the inaugural two-day meeting of the Arctic Offshore Regulators Forum, a forum of representatives from the regulatory authorities of six Arctic nations, BSEE announced on May 1.

Acting in response to a recommendation of the Arctic Council’s Task Force on Arctic Marine Oil Pollution Prevention, the regulators forum is providing a mechanism for the exchange of information, best practices and experience derived from the regulation of the development of petroleum resources in the Arctic. The forum participants consist of technical and operational offshore regulators, dedicated to improving offshore safety, BSEE said.

During its inaugural meeting, chaired by BSEE Alaska Regional Director Mark Fesmire and held in Washington, D.C., the forum adopted its terms of reference; listened to presentations from individual countries on legislative frameworks and noteworthy offshore projects; and conducted a roundtable discussion about substantive issues. The U.S. delegation included representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, the BSEE Alaska office, the BSEE Oil Spill Preparedness Division, and the Office of Congressional and International Affairs.

In addition to the United Sates, representatives came from Canada, Finland, Iceland, Greenland and Norway. The group plans to reconvene in the fall, BSEE said.

- Alan Bailey