CFR > Title 30 - Mineral Resources > CHAPTER II—MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR > SUBCHAPTER B—OFFSHORE (parts 250 to 285) > PART 250—OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF > SUBPART Q—Decommissioning Activities (§250.1700 to §250.1754) > 250.1703—What are the general requirements for decommissioning?

250.1703—What are the general requirements for decommissioning?

When your facilities are no longer useful for operations, you must:
(a) Get approval from the appropriate District Manager before decommissioning wells and from the Regional Supervisor before decommissioning platforms and pipelines or other facilities;
(b) Permanently plug all wells;
(c) Remove all platforms and other facilities, except as provided in sections 1725(a) and 1730.
(d) Decommission all pipelines;
(e) Clear the seafloor of all obstructions created by your lease and pipeline right-of-way operations; and
(f) Conduct all decommissioning activities in a manner that is safe, does not unreasonably interfere with other uses of the OCS, and does not cause undue or serious harm or damage to the human, marine, or coastal environment.

Code of Federal Regulations

[67 FR 35406, May 17, 2002, as amended at 74 FR 19807, Apr. 29, 2009]