250.417—What must I provide if I plan to use a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)?
If you plan to use a MODU, you must provide:
(a) Fitness requirements.
You must provide information and data to demonstrate the drilling unit's capability to perform at the proposed drilling location. This information must include the maximum environmental and operational conditions that the unit is designed to withstand, including the minimum air gap necessary for both hurricane and non-hurricane seasons. If sufficient environmental information and data are not available at the time you submit your APD, the District Manager may approve your APD but require you to collect and report this information during operations. Under this circumstance, the District Manager has the right to revoke the approval of the APD if information collected during operations show that the drilling unit is not capable of performing at the proposed location.
(b) Foundation requirements.
You must provide information to show that site-specific soil and oceanographic conditions are capable of supporting the proposed drilling unit. If you provided sufficient site-specific information in your EP, DPP, or DOCD, you may reference that information. The District Manager may require you to conduct additional surveys and soil borings before approving the APD if additional information is needed to make a determination that the conditions are capable of supporting the drilling unit.
(c) Frontier areas.
(1)
If the design of the drilling unit you plan to use in a frontier area is unique or has not been proven for use in the proposed environment, the District Manager may require you to submit a third-party review of the unit's design. If required, you must obtain the third-party review according to § 250.915 through § 250.918. You may submit this information before submitting an APD.
(2)
If you plan to drill in a frontier area, you must have a contingency plan that addresses design and operating limitations of the drilling unit. Your plan must identify the actions necessary to maintain safety and prevent damage to the environment. Actions must include the suspension, curtailment, or modification of drilling or rig operations to remedy various operational or environmental situations (e.g. vessel motion, riser offset, anchor tensions, wind speed, wave height, currents, icing or ice-loading, settling, tilt or lateral movement, resupply capability).
(d) U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) documentation.
You must provide the current Certificate of Inspection or Letter of Compliance from the USCG. You must also provide current documentation of any operational limitations imposed by an appropriate classification society.
(e) Floating drilling unit.
If you use a floating drilling unit, you must indicate that you have a contingency plan for moving off location in an emergency situation.
(f) Inspection of unit.
The drilling unit must be available for inspection by the District Manager before commencing operations.
(g)
Once the District Manager has approved a MODU for use, you do not need to re-submit the information required by this section for another APD to use the same MODU unless changes in equipment affect its rated capacity to operate in the District.