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30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.
76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.
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Subscribe to: 30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I - Inspection, Maintenance, and Assessment of Platforms
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Nomenclature changes to part 250 appear at 77 FR 50891, Aug. 22, 2012.
(a) You must submit a comprehensive in-service inspection report annually by November 1 to the Regional Supervisor that must include:
(1) A list of fixed and floating platforms you inspected in the preceding 12 months;
(2) The extent and area of inspection for both the above-water and underwater portions of the platform and the pertinent components of the mooring system for floating platforms;
(3) The type of inspection employed (e.g., visual, magnetic particle, ultrasonic testing);
(4) The overall structural condition of each platform, including a corrosion protection evaluation; and
(5) A summary of the inspection results indicating what repairs, if any, were needed.
(b) If any of your structures have been exposed to a natural occurrence (e.g., hurricane, earthquake, or tropical storm), the Regional Supervisor may require you to submit an initial report of all structural damage, followed by subsequent updates, which include the following:
(1) A list of affected structures;
(2) A timetable for conducting the inspections described in section 6.6 of API Recommended Practice 2SIM (incorporated by reference, see § 250.198); and
(3) An inspection plan for each structure that describes the work you will perform to determine the condition of the structure.
(c) The Regional Supervisor may also require you to submit the results of the inspections referred to in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, including a description of any detected damage that may adversely affect structural integrity, an assessment of the structure's ability to withstand any anticipated environmental conditions, and any remediation plans. Under §§ 250.900(b)(3) and 250.905, you must obtain approval from BSEE before you make major repairs of any damage unless you meet the requirements of § 250.900(c).
(d) You must perform an in-service inspection for each of your platforms according to the time intervals described in Section 6.5.3 Table 3 (Default Inspection Program) of API Recommended Practice 2SIM. You must follow the specific time interval from Table 3 that applies to your platform based on the exposure category BSEE has accepted under § 250.920 and the platform's survey level established in accordance with Section 6.5 of API Recommended Practice 2SIM. You are not required to comply with Section 6.5.2.2 (Risk Based Inspection Intervals) of API Recommended Practice 2SIM.
[76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, as amended at 91 FR 35359, June 10, 2026]
(a) You must document all wells, equipment, and pipelines supported by the platform if you intend to use either the L-2 or L-3 exposure category. Exposure categories are defined in API Recommended Practice 2SIM, Section 5.3.4 (incorporated by reference, see § 250.198). If BSEE objects to the exposure category you used for your assessment, you may need to redesign and/or modify the platform to adequately demonstrate that the platform is able to withstand the environmental loadings for the appropriate exposure category.
(b) You must perform an analysis check when your platform will have additional personnel, additional topside facilities, increased environmental or operational loading, inadequate deck height, or suffered significant damage (e.g., experienced damage to primary structural members or conductor guide trays or global structural integrity is adversely affected); or the exposure category changes to a more restrictive level (see Section 8.3 of API Recommended Practice 2SIM for a description of assessment initiators).
(c) You must initiate mitigation actions for platforms that do not pass the assessment process of API Recommended Practice 2SIM. You must submit applications for your mitigation actions (e.g., repair, modification, decommissioning) to the Regional Supervisor for approval before you conduct the work.
(d) The BSEE may require you to conduct a platform design basis check when the reduced environmental loading criteria contained in API Recommended Practice 2SIM Sections 9 through 12 are not applicable.
(e) By November 1, 2009, you must submit a complete list of all the platforms you operate, together with all the appropriate data to support the assessment category you assign to each platform and the platform assessment initiators (as defined in API Recommended Practice 2SIM) to the Regional Supervisor. You must submit subsequent complete lists and the appropriate data to support the consequence-of-failure category every 5 years thereafter, or as directed by the Regional Supervisor.
(f) The use of API Recommended Practice 2SIM is limited to existing fixed structures that are serving their original approved purpose. You must obtain approval from the Regional Supervisor for any change in purpose of the platform, following the provisions of Section 18, Re-use, in API Recommended Practice 2A-WSD (incorporated by reference, see § 250.198).
[91 FR 35359, June 10, 2026]
(a) If you are required to analyze cumulative fatigue on your platform because of the results of an inspection or platform assessment, you must ensure that the safety factors for critical elements listed in § 250.908 are met or exceeded.
(b) If the calculated life of a joint or member does not meet the criteria of § 250.908, you must either mitigate the load, strengthen the joint or member, or develop an increased inspection process.