eCFR 30 CFR 250, Subpart I

30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (2023-06-01)

This content is from the eCFR and is authoritative but unofficial.

Title 30 —Mineral Resources
Chapter II —Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Department of the Interior
Subchapter B —Offshore
Part 250 —Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334.
Source: 76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart I Platforms and Structures
General Requirements for Platforms
§ 250.900 What general requirements apply to all platforms?
§ 250.901 What industry standards must your platform meet?
§ 250.902 What are the requirements for platform removal and location clearance?
§ 250.903 What records must I keep?
Platform Approval Program
§ 250.904 What is the Platform Approval Program?
§ 250.905 How do I get approval for the installation, modification, or repair of my platform?
§ 250.906 What must I do to obtain approval for the proposed site of my platform?
§ 250.907 Where must I locate foundation boreholes?
§ 250.908 What are the minimum structural fatigue design requirements?
Platform Verification Program
§ 250.909 What is the Platform Verification Program?
§ 250.910 Which of my facilities are subject to the Platform Verification Program?
§ 250.911 If my platform is subject to the Platform Verification Program, what must I do?
§ 250.912 What plans must I submit under the Platform Verification Program?
§ 250.913 When must I resubmit Platform Verification Program plans?
§ 250.914 How do I nominate a CVA?
§ 250.915 What are the CVA's primary responsibilities?
§ 250.916 What are the CVA's primary duties during the design phase?
§ 250.917 What are the CVA's primary duties during the fabrication phase?
§ 250.918 What are the CVA's primary duties during the installation phase?
Inspection, Maintenance, and Assessment of Platforms
§ 250.919 What in-service inspection requirements must I meet?
§ 250.920 What are the BSEE requirements for assessment of fixed platforms?
§ 250.921 How do I analyze my platform for cumulative fatigue?
Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 250 appear at 77 FR 50891, Aug. 22, 2012.

30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (2023-06-01) (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

30 CFR 250.900

Subpart I—Platforms and Structures
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PLATFORMS
§ 250.900 What general requirements apply to all platforms?
(a) You must design, fabricate, install, use, maintain, inspect, and assess all platforms and related structures
on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) so as to ensure their structural integrity for the safe conduct of
drilling, workover, and production operations. In doing this, you must consider the specific environmental
conditions at the platform location.
(b) You must also submit an application under § 250.905 of this subpart and obtain the approval of the
Regional Supervisor before performing any of the activities described in the following table:
Activity requiring application and approval

Conditions for conducting the activity

(1) Install a platform. This includes placing a
newly constructed platform at a location or
moving an existing platform to a new site

(i) You must adhere to the requirements of this subpart,
including the industry standards in § 250.901.
(ii) If you are installing a floating platform, you must also
adhere to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) regulations for the
fabrication, installation, and inspection of floating OCS
facilities.

(2) Major modification to any platform. This
includes any structural changes that
materially alter the approved plan or cause a
major deviation from approved operations and
any modification that increases loading on a
platform by 10 percent or more

(i) You must adhere to the requirements of this subpart,
including the industry standards in § 250.901.
(ii) Before you make a major modification to a floating
platform, you must obtain approval from both the BSEE
and the USCG for the modification.

(3) Major repair of damage to any platform.
This includes any corrective operations
involving structural members affecting the
structural integrity of a portion or all of the
platform

(i) You must adhere to the requirements of this subpart,
including the industry standards in § 250.901.
(ii) Before you make a major repair to a floating platform,
you must obtain approval from both the BSEE and the
USCG for the repair.

(4) Convert an existing platform at the current
location for a new purpose

(i) The Regional Supervisor will determine on a case-bycase basis the requirements for an application for
conversion of an existing platform at the current location.
(ii) At a minimum, your application must include: the
converted platform's intended use; and a demonstration
of the adequacy of the design and structural condition of
the converted platform.
(iii) If a floating platform, you must also adhere to USCG
regulations for the fabrication, installation, and inspection
of floating OCS facilities.

(5) Convert an existing mobile offshore drilling (i) The Regional Supervisor will determine on a case-byunit (MODU) for a new purpose
case basis the requirements for an application for
conversion of an existing MODU.
(ii) At a minimum, your application must include: the
converted MODU's intended location and use; a
demonstration of the adequacy of the design and
30 CFR 250.900(b) (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

Activity requiring application and approval

30 CFR 250.900(c)

Conditions for conducting the activity
structural condition of the converted MODU; and a
demonstration that the level of safety for the converted
MODU is at least equal to that of re-used platforms.
(iii) You must also adhere to USCG regulations for the
fabrication, installation, and inspection of floating OCS
facilities.

(c) Under emergency conditions, you may make repairs to primary structural elements to restore an existing
permitted condition without submitting an application or receiving prior BSEE approval for up to
120-calendar days following an event. You must notify the Regional Supervisor of the damage that
occurred within 24 hours of its discovery, and you must provide a written completion report to the
Regional Supervisor of the repairs that were made within 1 week after completing the repairs. If you make
emergency repairs on a floating platform, you must also notify the USCG.
(d) You must determine if your new platform or major modification to an existing platform is subject to the
Platform Verification Program (PVP). Section 250.910 of this subpart fully describes the facilities that are
subject to the PVP. If you determine that your platform is subject to the PVP, you must follow the
requirements of §§ 250.909 through 250.918 of this subpart.
(e) You must submit notification of the platform installation date and the final as-built location data to the
Regional Supervisor within 45-calendar days of completion of platform installation.
(1) For platforms not subject to the Platform Verification Program (PVP), BSEE will cancel the approved
platform application 1 year after the approval has been granted if the platform has not been
installed. If BSEE cancels the approval, you must resubmit your platform application and receive
BSEE approval if you still plan to install the platform.
(2) For platforms subject to the PVP, cancellation of an approval will be on an individual platform basis.
For these platforms, BSEE will identify the date when the installation approval will be cancelled (if
installation has not occurred) during the application and approval process. If BSEE cancels your
installation approval, you must resubmit your platform application and receive BSEE approval if you
still plan to install the platform.

§ 250.901 What industry standards must your platform meet?
(a) In addition to the other requirements of this subpart, your plans for platform design, analysis, fabrication,
installation, use, maintenance, inspection and assessment must, as appropriate, conform to:
(1) ACI Standard 318–95, Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete (ACI 318–95) and
Commentary (ACI 318R–95) (incorporated by reference at § 250.198);
(2) ACI 357R–84, Guide for the Design and Construction of Fixed Offshore Concrete Structures, 1984;
reapproved 1997 (incorporated by reference at § 250.198);
(3) ANSI/AISC 360–05, Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, (as specified in § 250.198);
(4) American Petroleum Institute (API) Bulletin 2INT–DG, Interim Guidance for Design of Offshore
Structures for Hurricane Conditions, (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(5) API Bulletin 2INT–EX, Interim Guidance for Assessment of Existing Offshore Structures for Hurricane
Conditions, (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
30 CFR 250.901(a)(5) (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

30 CFR 250.901(a)(6)

(6) API Bulletin 2INT–MET, Interim Guidance on Hurricane Conditions in the Gulf of Mexico, (as
incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(7) API Recommend Practice (RP) 2A–WSD, RP for Planning, Designing, and Constructing Fixed
Offshore Platforms—Working Stress Design (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(8) API RP 2FPS, Recommended Practice for Planning, Designing, and Constructing Floating Production
Systems, (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(9) API RP 2I, In-Service Inspection of Mooring Hardware for Floating Drilling Units (as incorporated by
reference in § 250.198);
(10) API RP 2RD, Design of Risers for Floating Production Systems (FPSs) and Tension-Leg Platforms
(TLPs), (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(11) API RP 2SK, Recommended Practice for Design and Analysis of Station Keeping Systems for Floating
Structures, (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(12) API RP 2SM, Recommended Practice for Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of
Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(13) API RP 2T, Recommended Practice for Planning, Designing and Constructing Tension Leg Platforms,
(as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(14) API RP 14J, Recommended Practice for Design and Hazards Analysis for Offshore Production
Facilities, (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(15) American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard C 33–07, approved December 15,
2007, Standard Specification for Concrete Aggregates (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(16) ASTM Standard C 94/C 94M–07, approved January 1, 2007, Standard Specification for Ready-Mixed
Concrete (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(17) ASTM Standard C 150–07, approved May 1, 2007, Standard Specification for Portland Cement (as
incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(18) ASTM Standard C 330–05, approved December 15, 2005, Standard Specification for Lightweight
Aggregates for Structural Concrete (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(19) ASTM Standard C 595–08, approved January 1, 2008, Standard Specification for Blended Hydraulic
Cements (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(20) AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code—Steel, including Commentary, (as incorporated by reference in §
250.198);
(21) AWS D1.4, Structural Welding Code—Reinforcing Steel, (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(22) AWS D3.6M, Specification for Underwater Welding, (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(23) NACE Standard MR0175, Sulfide Stress Cracking Resistant Metallic Materials for Oilfield Equipment,
(as incorporated by reference in § 250.198);
(24) NACE Standard RP0176–2003, Item No. 21018, Standard Recommended Practice, Corrosion Control
of Steel Fixed Offshore Structures Associated with Petroleum Production (as incorporated by
reference in § 250.198).

30 CFR 250.901(a)(24) (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

30 CFR 250.901(b)

(b) You must follow the requirements contained in the documents listed under paragraph (a) of this section
insofar as they do not conflict with other provisions of 30 CFR part 250. You may use applicable
provisions of these documents, as approved by the Regional Supervisor, for the design, fabrication, and
installation of platforms such as spars, since standards specifically written for such structures do not
exist. You may also use alternative codes, rules, or standards, as approved by the Regional Supervisor,
under the conditions enumerated in § 250.141.
(c) For information on the standards mentioned in this section, and where they may be obtained, see §
250.198 of this part.
(d) The following chart summarizes the applicability of the industry standards listed in this section for fixed
and floating platforms:
Industry standard

Applicable to . . .

(1) ACI Standard 318–95, Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete (ACI Fixed and floating
318–95) and Commentary (ACI 318R–95),
platform, as
appropriate.
(2) ANSI/AISC 360–05, Specification for Structural Steel Buildings;
(3) API Bulletin 2INT–DG, Interim Guidance for Design of Offshore Structures for
Hurricane Conditions;
(4) API Bulletin 2INT–EX, Interim Guidance for Assessment of Existing Offshore
Structures for Hurricane Conditions;
(5) API Bulletin 2INT–MET, Interim Guidance on Hurricane Conditions in the Gulf of
Mexico;
(6) API RP 2A–WSD, RP for Planning, Designing, and Constructing Fixed Offshore
Platforms—Working Stress Design;
(7) ASTM Standard C 33–07, approved December 15, 2007, Standard Specification
for Concrete Aggregates;
(8) ASTM Standard C 94/C 94M–07, approved January 1, 2007, Standard
Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete;
(9) ASTM Standard C 150–07, approved May 1, 2007, Standard Specification for
Portland Cement;
(10) ASTM Standard C 330–05, approved December 15, 2005, Standard
Specification for Lightweight Aggregates for Structural Concrete;
(11) ASTM Standard C 595–08, approved January 1, 2008, Standard Specification
for Blended Hydraulic Cements;
(12) AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code—Steel;
(13) AWS D1.4, Structural Welding Code—Reinforcing Steel;
(14) AWS D3.6M, Specification for Underwater Welding;
(15) NACE Standard RP 0176–2003, Standard Recommended Practice (RP),
Corrosion Control of Steel Fixed Offshore Platforms Associated with Petroleum
Production;
(16) ACI 357R–84, Guide for the Design and Construction of Fixed Offshore
Concrete Structures, 1984; reapproved 1997,

Fixed platforms.

(17) API RP 14J, RP for Design and Hazards Analysis for Offshore Production
Facilities;

Floating platforms.

30 CFR 250.901(d) (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

Industry standard

30 CFR 250.902

Applicable to . . .

(18) API RP 2FPS, RP for Planning, Designing, and Constructing, Floating Production
Systems;
(19) API RP 2RD, Design of Risers for Floating Production Systems (FPSs) and
Tension-Leg Platforms (TLPs);
(20) API RP 2SK, RP for Design and Analysis of Station Keeping Systems for
Floating Structures;
(21) API RP 2T, RP for Planning, Designing, and Constructing Tension Leg
Platforms;
(22) API RP 2SM, RP for Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of
Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring;
(23) API RP 2I, In-Service Inspection of Mooring Hardware for Floating Drilling Units
[76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, as amended at 81 FR 36150, June 6, 2016]

§ 250.902 What are the requirements for platform removal and location clearance?
You must remove all structures according to §§ 250.1725 through 250.1730 of Subpart Q—Decommissioning
Activities of this part.

§ 250.903 What records must I keep?
(a) You must compile, retain, and make available to BSEE representatives for the functional life of all
platforms:
(1) The as-built drawings;
(2) The design assumptions and analyses;
(3) A summary of the fabrication and installation nondestructive examination records;
(4) The inspection results from the inspections required by § 250.919 of this subpart; and
(5) Records of repairs not covered in the inspection report submitted under § 250.919(b).
(b) You must record and retain the original material test results of all primary structural materials during all
stages of construction. Primary material is material that, should it fail, would lead to a significant
reduction in platform safety, structural reliability, or operating capabilities. Items such as steel brackets,
deck stiffeners and secondary braces or beams would not generally be considered primary structural
members (or materials).
(c) You must provide BSEE with the location of these records in the certification statement of your application
for platform approval as required in § 250.905(j).

PLATFORM APPROVAL PROGRAM

30 CFR 250.903(c) (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

30 CFR 250.904

§ 250.904 What is the Platform Approval Program?
(a) The Platform Approval Program is the BSEE basic approval process for platforms on the OCS. The
requirements of the Platform Approval Program are described in §§ 250.904 through 250.908 of this
subpart. Completing these requirements will satisfy BSEE criteria for approval of fixed platforms of a
proven design that will be placed in the shallow water areas (≤400 ft.) of the Gulf of Mexico OCS.
(b) The requirements of the Platform Approval Program must be met by all platforms on the OCS.
Additionally, if you want approval for a floating platform; a platform of unique design; or a platform being
installed in deepwater (> 400 ft.) or a frontier area, you must also meet the requirements of the Platform
Verification Program. The requirements of the Platform Verification Program are described in §§ 250.909
through 250.918 of this subpart.

§ 250.905 How do I get approval for the installation, modification, or repair of my platform?
The Platform Approval Program requires that you submit the information, documents, and fee listed in the following
table for your proposed project. In lieu of submitting the paper copies specified in the table, you may submit your
application electronically in accordance with 30 CFR 250.186(a)(3).
Required
submittal

Required contents

Other
requirements

(a)
Application
cover letter

Proposed structure designation, lease number, area, name, and block
number, and the type of facility your facility (e.g., drilling, production,
quarters). The structure designation must be unique for the field
(some fields are made up of several blocks); i.e. once a platform “A”
has been used in the field there should never be another platform “A”
even if the old platform “A” has been removed. Single well free
standing caissons should be given the same designation as the well.
All other structures are to be designated by letter designations

You must submit
three copies. If,
your facility is
subject to the
Platform
Verification
Program (PVP),
you must submit
four copies.

(b) Location
plat

Latitude and longitude coordinates, Universal Mercator grid-system
coordinates, state plane coordinates in the Lambert or Transverse
Mercator Projection System, and distances in feet from the nearest
block lines. These coordinates must be based on the NAD (North
American Datum) 27 datum plane coordinate system

Your plat must be
drawn to a scale
of 1 inch equals
2,000 feet and
include the
coordinates of the
lease block
boundary lines.
You must submit
three copies.

(c) Front,
Platform dimensions and orientation, elevations relative to M.L.L.W.
Side, and Plan (Mean Lower Low Water), and pile sizes and penetration
View
drawings

Your drawing
sizes must not
exceed 11″ × 17″.
You must submit
three copies (four
copies for PVP
applications).

(d) Complete
set of

Your drawing
sizes must not

The approved for construction fabrication drawings should be
submitted including; e.g., cathodic protection systems; jacket design;

30 CFR 250.905 (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

Required
submittal

Required contents

30 CFR 250.905

Other
requirements

structural
drawings

pile foundations; drilling, production, and pipeline risers and riser
tensioning systems; turrets and turret-and-hull interfaces; mooring
and tethering systems; foundations and anchoring systems

(e) Summary
of
environmental
data

A summary of the environmental data described in the applicable
You must submit
standards referenced under § 250.901(a) of this subpart and in §
one copy.
250.198 of Subpart A, where the data is used in the design or analysis
of the platform. Examples of relevant data include information on
waves, wind, current, tides, temperature, snow and ice effects, marine
growth, and water depth

(f) Summary
of the
engineering
design data

Loading information (e.g., live, dead, environmental), structural
information (e.g., design-life; material types; cathodic protection
systems; design criteria; fatigue life; jacket design; deck design;
production component design; pile foundations; drilling, production,
and pipeline risers and riser tensioning systems; turrets and turretand-hull interfaces; foundations, foundation pilings and templates,
and anchoring systems; mooring or tethering systems; fabrication
and installation guidelines), and foundation information (e.g., soil
stability, design criteria)

You must submit
one copy.

(g) Projectspecific
studies used
in the
platform
design or
installation

All studies pertinent to platform design or installation, e.g.,
oceanographic and/or soil reports including the overall site
investigative report required in § 250.906

You must submit
one copy of each
study.

(h)
Description of
the loads
imposed on
the facility

Loads imposed by jacket; decks; production components; drilling,
production, and pipeline risers, and riser tensioning systems; turrets
and turret-and-hull interfaces; foundations, foundation pilings and
templates, and anchoring systems; and mooring or tethering systems

You must submit
one copy.

(i) Summary
of safety
factors
utilized

A summary of pertinent derived factors of safety against failure for
major structural members, e.g., unity check ratios exceeding 0.85 for
steel-jacket platform members, indicated on “line” sketches of jacket
sections

You must submit
one copy.

(j) A copy of
the in-service
inspection
plan

This plan is described in § 250.919

You must submit
one copy.

(k)
Certification
statement

The following statement: “The design of this structure has been
certified by a recognized classification society, or a registered civil or
structural engineer or equivalent, or a naval architect or marine
engineer or equivalent, specializing in the design of offshore
structures. The certified design and as-built plans and specifications
will be on file at (give location)”

An authorized
company
representative
must sign the
statement. You
must submit one
copy.

30 CFR 250.905 (enhanced display)

exceed 11″ × 17″.
You must submit
one copy.

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

Required
submittal

Required contents

30 CFR 250.906

Other
requirements

(l) Payment of
the service
fee listed in §
250.125.

§ 250.906 What must I do to obtain approval for the proposed site of my platform?
(a) Shallow hazards surveys. You must perform a high-resolution or acoustic-profiling survey to obtain
information on the conditions existing at and near the surface of the seafloor. You must collect
information through this survey sufficient to determine the presence of the following features and their
likely effects on your proposed platform:
(1) Shallow faults;
(2) Gas seeps or shallow gas;
(3) Slump blocks or slump sediments;
(4) Shallow water flows;
(5) Hydrates; or
(6) Ice scour of seafloor sediments.
(b) Geologic surveys. You must perform a geological survey relevant to the design and siting of your platform.
Your geological survey must assess:
(1) Seismic activity at your proposed site;
(2) Fault zones, the extent and geometry of faulting, and attenuation effects of geologic conditions near
your site; and
(3) For platforms located in producing areas, the possibility and effects of seafloor subsidence.
(c) Subsurface surveys. Depending upon the design and location of your proposed platform and the results of
the shallow hazard and geologic surveys, the Regional Supervisor may require you to perform a
subsurface survey. This survey will include a testing program for investigating the stratigraphic and
engineering properties of the soil that may affect the foundations or anchoring systems for your facility.
The testing program must include adequate in situ testing, boring, and sampling to examine all important
soil and rock strata to determine its strength classification, deformation properties, and dynamic
characteristics. If required to perform a subsurface survey, you must prepare and submit to the Regional
Supervisor a summary report to briefly describe the results of your soil testing program, the various field
and laboratory test methods employed, and the applicability of these methods as they pertain to the
quality of the samples, the type of soil, and the anticipated design application. You must explain how the
engineering properties of each soil stratum affect the design of your platform. In your explanation you
must describe the uncertainties inherent in your overall testing program, and the reliability and
applicability of each test method.

30 CFR 250.906(c) (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

30 CFR 250.906(d)

(d) Overall site investigation report. You must prepare and submit to the Regional Supervisor an overall site
investigation report for your platform that integrates the findings of your shallow hazards surveys and
geologic surveys, and, if required, your subsurface surveys. Your overall site investigation report must
include analyses of the potential for:
(1) Scouring of the seafloor;
(2) Hydraulic instability;
(3) The occurrence of sand waves;
(4) Instability of slopes at the platform location;
(5) Liquefaction, or possible reduction of soil strength due to increased pore pressures;
(6) Degradation of subsea permafrost layers;
(7) Cyclic loading;
(8) Lateral loading;
(9) Dynamic loading;
(10) Settlements and displacements;
(11) Plastic deformation and formation collapse mechanisms; and
(12) Soil reactions on the platform foundations or anchoring systems.

§ 250.907 Where must I locate foundation boreholes?
(a) For fixed or bottom-founded platforms and tension leg platforms, your maximum distance from any
foundation pile to a soil boring must not exceed 500 feet.
(b) For deepwater floating platforms which utilize catenary or taut-leg moorings, you must take borings at the
most heavily loaded anchor location, at the anchor points approximately 120 and 240 degrees around the
anchor pattern from that boring, and, as necessary, other points throughout the anchor pattern to
establish the soil profile suitable for foundation design purposes.

§ 250.908 What are the minimum structural fatigue design requirements?
(a) API RP 2A–WSD, Recommended Practice for Planning, Designing and Constructing Fixed Offshore
Platforms (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198), requires that the design fatigue life of each joint
and member be twice the intended service life of the structure. When designing your platform, the
following table provides minimum fatigue life safety factors for critical structural members and joints.
If . . .

Then . . .

(1) There is sufficient structural redundancy to
prevent catastrophic failure of the platform or
structure under consideration,

The results of the fatigue analysis must indicate a
minimum calculated life of twice the design life of
the platform.

(2) There is not sufficient structural redundancy to
prevent catastrophic failure of the platform or
structure,

The results of a fatigue analysis must indicate a
minimum calculated life or three times the design
life of the platform.

(3) The desirable degree of redundancy is
significantly reduced as a result of fatigue damage,

The results of a fatigue analysis must indicate a
minimum calculated life of three times the design

30 CFR 250.908(a) (enhanced display)

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30 CFR Part 250 Subpart I (up to date as of 6/01/2023)
Platforms and Structures

30 CFR 250.908(b)

If . . .

Then . . .
life of the platform.

(b) The documents incorporated by reference in § 250.901 may require larger safety factors than indicated in
paragraph (a) of this section for some key components. When the documents incorporated by reference
require a larger safety factor than the chart in paragraph (a) of this section, the requirements of the
incorporated document will prevail.
[76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, as amended at 81 FR 36150, June 6, 2016]

PLATFORM VERIFICATION PROGRAM
§ 250.909 What is the Platform Verification Program?
The Platform Verification Program is the BSEE approval process for ensuring that floating platforms; platforms of a
new or unique design; platforms in seismic areas; or platforms located in deepwater or frontier areas meet stringent
requirements for design and construction. The program is applied during construction of new platforms and major
modifications of, or repairs to, existing platforms. These requirements are in addition to the requirements of the
Platform Approval Program described in §§ 250.904 through 250.908 of this subpart.

§ 250.910 Which of my facilities are subject to the Platform Verification Program?
(a) All new fixed or bottom-founded platforms that meet any of the following five conditions are subject to the
Platform Verification Program:
(1) Platforms installed in water depths exceeding 400 feet (122 meters);
(2) Platforms having natural periods in excess of 3 seconds;
(3) Platforms installed in areas of unstable bottom conditions;
(4) Platforms having configurations and designs which have not previously been used or proven for use
in the area; or
(5) Platforms installed in seismically active areas.
(b) All new floating platforms are subject to the Platform Verification Program to the extent indicated in the
following table:
If . . .
(1) Your new floating platform is
a buoyant offshore facility that
does not have a ship-shaped hull,

Then . . .
The entire platform is subject to the Platform Verification Program
including the following associated structures:
(i) Drilling, production, and pipeline risers, and riser tensioning systems
(each platform must be designed to accommodate all the loads
imposed by all risers and riser does not have tensioning systems);
(ii) Turrets and turret-and-hull interfaces;
(iii) Foundations, foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring
systems; and
(iv) Mooring or tethering systems.

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If . . .
(2) Your new floating platform is
a buoyant offshore facility with a
ship-shaped hull,

30 CFR 250.910(c)

Then . . .
Only the following structures that may be associated with a floating
platform are subject to the Platform Verification Program:
(i) Drilling, production, and pipeline risers, and riser tensioning systems
(each platform must be designed to accommodate all the loads
imposed by all risers and riser tensioning systems);
(ii) Turrets and turret-and-hull interfaces;
(iii) Foundations, foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring
systems; and
(iv) Mooring or tethering systems.

(c) If a platform is originally subject to the Platform Verification Program, then the conversion of that platform
at that same site for a new purpose, or making a major modification of, or major repair to, that platform, is
also subject to the Platform Verification Program. A major modification includes any modification that
increases loading on a platform by 10 percent or more. A major repair is a corrective operation involving
structural members affecting the structural integrity of a portion or all of the platform. Before you make a
major modification or repair to a floating platform, you must obtain approval from both the BSEE and the
USCG.
(d) The applicability of Platform Verification Program requirements to other types of facilities will be
determined by BSEE on a case-by-case basis.

§ 250.911 If my platform is subject to the Platform Verification Program, what must I do?
If your platform, conversion, or major modification or repair meets the criteria in § 250.910, you must:
(a) Design, fabricate, install, use, maintain and inspect your platform, conversion, or major modification or
repair to your platform according to the requirements of this subpart, and the applicable documents listed
in § 250.901(a) of this subpart;
(b) Comply with all the requirements of the Platform Approval Program found in §§ 250.904 through 250.908
of this subpart.
(c) Submit for the Regional Supervisor's approval three copies each of the design verification, fabrication
verification, and installation verification plans required by § 250.912;
(d) Submit a complete schedule of all phases of design, fabrication, and installation for the Regional
Supervisor's approval. You must include a project management timeline, Gantt Chart, that depicts when
interim and final reports required by §§ 250.916, 250.917, and 250.918 will be submitted to the Regional
Supervisor for each phase. On the timeline, you must break-out the specific scopes of work that inherently
stand alone (e.g., deck, mooring systems, tendon systems, riser systems, turret systems).
(e) Include your nomination of a Certified Verification Agent (CVA) as a part of each verification plan required
by § 250.912;
(f) Follow the additional requirements in §§ 250.913 through 250.918;
(g) Obtain approval for modifications to approved plans and for major deviations from approved installation
procedures from the Regional Supervisor; and
(h) Comply with applicable USCG regulations for floating OCS facilities.
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30 CFR 250.912

§ 250.912 What plans must I submit under the Platform Verification Program?
If your platform, associated structure, or major modification meets the criteria in § 250.910, you must submit the
following plans to the Regional Supervisor for approval:
(a) Design verification plan. You may submit your design verification plan to BSEE with or subsequent to the
submittal of your Development and Production Plan (DPP) or Development Operations Coordination
Document (DOCD) to BOEM. Your design verification must be conducted by, or be under the direct
supervision of, a registered professional civil or structural engineer or equivalent, or a naval architect or
marine engineer or equivalent, with previous experience in directing the design of similar facilities,
systems, structures, or equipment. For floating platforms, you must ensure that the requirements of the
USCG for structural integrity and stability, e.g., verification of center of gravity, etc., have been met. Your
design verification plan must include the following:
(1) All design documentation specified in § 250.905 of this subpart;
(2) Abstracts of the computer programs used in the design process; and
(3) A summary of the major design considerations and the approach to be used to verify the validity of
these design considerations.
(b) Fabrication verification plan. The Regional Supervisor must approve your fabrication verification plan
before you may initiate any related operations. Your fabrication verification plan must include the
following:
(1) Fabrication drawings and material specifications for artificial island structures and major members
of concrete-gravity and steel-gravity structures;
(2) For jacket and floating structures, all the primary load-bearing members included in the space-frame
analysis; and
(3) A summary description of the following:
(i)

Structural tolerances;

(ii) Welding procedures;
(iii) Material (concrete, gravel, or silt) placement methods;
(iv) Fabrication standards;
(v) Material quality-control procedures;
(vi) Methods and extent of nondestructive examinations for welds and materials; and
(vii) Quality assurance procedures.
(c) Installation verification plan. The Regional Supervisor must approve your installation verification plan
before you may initiate any related operations. Your installation verification plan must include:
(1) A summary description of the planned marine operations;
(2) Contingencies considered;
(3) Alternative courses of action; and

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30 CFR 250.912(c)(4)

(4) An identification of the areas to be inspected. You must specify the acceptance and rejection criteria
to be used for any inspections conducted during installation, and for the post-installation verification
inspection.
(d) You must combine fabrication verification and installation verification plans for manmade islands or
platforms fabricated and installed in place.

§ 250.913 When must I resubmit Platform Verification Program plans?
(a) You must resubmit any design verification, fabrication verification, or installation verification plan to the
Regional Supervisor for approval if:
(1) The CVA changes;
(2) The CVA's or assigned personnel's qualifications change; or
(3) The level of work to be performed changes.
(b) If only part of a verification plan is affected by one of the changes described in paragraph (a) of this
section, you can resubmit only the affected part. You do not have to resubmit the summary of technical
details unless you make changes in the technical details.

§ 250.914 How do I nominate a CVA?
(a) As part of your design verification, fabrication verification, or installation verification plan, you must
nominate a CVA for the Regional Supervisor's approval. You must specify whether the nomination is for
the design, fabrication, or installation phase of verification, or for any combination of these phases.
(b) For each CVA, you must submit a list of documents to be forwarded to the CVA, and a qualification
statement that includes the following:
(1) Previous experience in third-party verification or experience in the design, fabrication, installation, or
major modification of offshore oil and gas platforms. This should include fixed platforms, floating
platforms, manmade islands, other similar marine structures, and related systems and equipment;
(2) Technical capabilities of the individual or the primary staff for the specific project;
(3) Size and type of organization or corporation;
(4) In-house availability of, or access to, appropriate technology. This should include computer
programs, hardware, and testing materials and equipment;
(5) Ability to perform the CVA functions for the specific project considering current commitments;
(6) Previous experience with BSEE requirements and procedures;
(7) The level of work to be performed by the CVA.

§ 250.915 What are the CVA's primary responsibilities?
(a) The CVA must conduct specified reviews according to §§ 250.916, 250.917, and 250.918 of this subpart.
(b) Individuals or organizations acting as CVAs must not function in any capacity that would create a conflict
of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest.
(c) The CVA must consider the applicable provisions of the documents listed in § 250.901(a); the alternative
codes, rules, and standards approved under § 250.901(b); and the requirements of this subpart.
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30 CFR 250.915(d)

(d) The CVA is the primary contact with the Regional Supervisor and is directly responsible for providing
immediate reports of all incidents that affect the design, fabrication and installation of the platform.

§ 250.916 What are the CVA's primary duties during the design phase?
(a) The CVA must use good engineering judgment and practices in conducting an independent assessment
of the design of the platform, major modification, or repair. The CVA must ensure that the platform, major
modification, or repair is designed to withstand the environmental and functional load conditions
appropriate for the intended service life at the proposed location.
(b) Primary duties of the CVA during the design phase include the following:
Type of facility . . .

The CVA must . . .

(1) For fixed platforms and Conduct an independent assessment of all proposed:
non-ship-shaped floating
(i) Planning criteria;
facilities,
(ii) Operational requirements;
(iii) Environmental loading data;
(iv) Load determinations;
(v) Stress analyses;
(vi) Material designations;
(vii) Soil and foundation conditions;
(viii) Safety factors; and
(ix) Other pertinent parameters of the proposed design.
(2) For all floating
facilities,

Ensure that the requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard for structural integrity
and stability, e.g., verification of center of gravity, etc., have been met. The
CVA must also consider:
(i) Drilling, production, and pipeline risers, and riser tensioning systems;
(ii) Turrets and turret-and-hull interfaces;
(iii) Foundations, foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring systems;
and
(iv) Mooring or tethering systems.

(c) The CVA must submit interim reports and a final report to the Regional Supervisor, and to you, during the
design phase in accordance with the approved schedule required by § 250.911(d). In each interim and
final report the CVA must:
(1) Provide a summary of the material reviewed and the CVA's findings;
(2) In the final CVA report, make a recommendation that the Regional Supervisor either accept, request
modifications, or reject the proposed design unless such a recommendation has been previously
made in an interim report;
(3) Describe the particulars of how, by whom, and when the independent review was conducted; and
(4) Provide any additional comments the CVA deems necessary.

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30 CFR 250.917

§ 250.917 What are the CVA's primary duties during the fabrication phase?
(a) The CVA must use good engineering judgment and practices in conducting an independent assessment
of the fabrication activities. The CVA must monitor the fabrication of the platform or major modification
to ensure that it has been built according to the approved design and the fabrication plan. If the CVA finds
that fabrication procedures are changed or design specifications are modified, the CVA must inform you.
If you accept the modifications, then the CVA must so inform the Regional Supervisor.
(b) Primary duties of the CVA during the fabrication phase include the following:
Type of facility . . .
(1) For all fixed platforms
and non-ship-shaped
floating facilities,

The CVA must . . .
Make periodic onsite inspections while fabrication is in progress and must
verify the following fabrication items, as appropriate:
(i) Quality control by lessee and builder;
(ii) Fabrication site facilities;
(iii) Material quality and identification methods;
(iv) Fabrication procedures specified in the approved plan, and adherence to
such procedures;
(v) Welder and welding procedure qualification and identification;
(vi) Structural tolerances specified and adherence to those tolerances;
(vii) The nondestructive examination requirements, and evaluation results of
the specified examinations;
(viii) Destructive testing requirements and results;
(ix) Repair procedures;
(x) Installation of corrosion-protection systems and splash-zone protection;
(xi) Erection procedures to ensure that overstressing of structural members
does not occur;
(xii) Alignment procedures;
(xiii) Dimensional check of the overall structure, including any turrets, turretand-hull interfaces, any mooring line and chain and riser tensioning line
segments; and
(xiv) Status of quality-control records at various stages of fabrication.

(2) For all floating
facilities,

Ensure that the requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard floating for structural
integrity and stability, e.g., verification of center of gravity, etc., have been met.
The CVA must also consider:
(i) Drilling, production, and pipeline risers, and riser tensioning systems (at
least for the initial fabrication of these elements);
(ii) Turrets and turret-and-hull interfaces;
(iii) Foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring systems; and
(iv) Mooring or tethering systems.

(c) The CVA must submit interim reports and a final report to the Regional Supervisor, and to you, during the
fabrication phase in accordance with the approved schedule required by § 250.911(d). In each interim and
final report the CVA must:
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30 CFR 250.917(c)(1)

(1) Give details of how, by whom, and when the independent monitoring activities were conducted;
(2) Describe the CVA's activities during the verification process;
(3) Summarize the CVA's findings;
(4) Confirm or deny compliance with the design specifications and the approved fabrication plan;
(5) In the final CVA report, make a recommendation to accept or reject the fabrication unless such a
recommendation has been previously made in an interim report; and
(6) Provide any additional comments that the CVA deems necessary.

§ 250.918 What are the CVA's primary duties during the installation phase?
(a) The CVA must use good engineering judgment and practice in conducting an independent assessment of
the installation activities.
(b) Primary duties of the CVA during the installation phase include the following:
The CVA must . . .
(1) Verify, as appropriate,

Operation or equipment to be
inspected . . .
(i) Loadout and initial flotation
operations;
(ii) Towing operations to the
specified location, and review the
towing records;
(iii) Launching and uprighting
operations;
(iv) Submergence operations;
(v) Pile or anchor installations;
(vi) Installation of mooring and
tethering systems;
(vii) Final deck and component
installations; and
(viii) Installation at the approved
location according to the
approved design and the
installation plan.

(2) Witness (for a fixed or floating platform),

(i) The loadout of the jacket,
decks, piles, or structures from
each fabrication site;
(ii) The actual installation of the
platform or major modification
and the related installation
activities.

(3) Witness (for a floating platform),

(i) The loadout of the platform;
(ii) The installation of drilling,
production, and pipeline risers,
and riser tensioning systems (at

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30 CFR 250.918(c)

Operation or equipment to be
inspected . . .

The CVA must . . .

least for the initial installation of
these elements);
(iii) The installation of turrets and
turret-and-hull interfaces;
(iv) The installation of foundation
pilings and templates, and
anchoring systems; and
(v) The installation of the mooring
and tethering systems.
(4) Conduct an onsite survey,

Survey the platform after
transportation to the approved
location.

(5) Spot-check as necessary to determine compliance with the
applicable documents listed in § 250.901(a); the alternative codes,
rules and standards approved under § 250.901(b); the requirements
listed in § 250.903 and §§ 250.906 through 250.908 of this subpart
and the approved plans,

(i) Equipment;
(ii) Procedures; and
(iii) Recordkeeping.

(c) The CVA must submit interim reports and a final report to the Regional Supervisor, and to you, during the
installation phase in accordance with the approved schedule required by § 250.911(d). In each interim
and final report the CVA must:
(1) Give details of how, by whom, and when the independent monitoring activities were conducted;
(2) Describe the CVA's activities during the verification process;
(3) Summarize the CVA's findings;
(4) Confirm or deny compliance with the approved installation plan;
(5) In the final report, make a recommendation to accept or reject the installation unless such a
recommendation has been previously made in an interim report; and
(6) Provide any additional comments that the CVA deems necessary.

INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND ASSESSMENT OF PLATFORMS
§ 250.919 What in-service inspection requirements must I meet?
(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
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30 CFR 250.919(a)(5)

(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 14.4.3 of API RP 2A–WSD (as
incorporated by reference in § 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).

§ 250.920 What are the BSEE requirements for assessment of fixed platforms?
(a) You must document all wells, equipment, and pipelines supported by the platform if you intend to use
either the A–2 or A–3 assessment category. Assessment categories are defined in API RP 2A–WSD,
Section 17.3 (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198). If BSEE objects to the assessment 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
assessment 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 Sections 17.2.1 through 17.2.5 of API RP 2A–WSD, incorporated by reference in § 250.198, for a
description of assessment initiators).
(c) You must initiate mitigation actions for platforms that do not pass the assessment process of API RP
2A–WSD. 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 RP 2A–WSD Section 17.6 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 RP 2A–WSD) 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.

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30 CFR 250.920(f)

(f) The use of Section 17, Assessment of Existing Platforms, of API RP 2A–WSD 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 API RP 2A–WSD, Section
15, Re-use.
[76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, as amended at 81 FR 36150, June 6, 2016]

§ 250.921 How do I analyze my platform for cumulative fatigue?
(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.

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