Collapse to view only § 285.706 - How do I nominate a CVA for BSEE approval?
Reports
- SECTION § 285.700 - What reports must I submit to BSEE before installing facilities described in my approved SAP, COP, or GAP?
- SECTION § 285.701 - What must I include in my Facility Design Report?
- SECTION § 285.702 - What must I include in my Fabrication and Installation Report?
- SECTION § 285.703 - What reports must I submit for project modifications and repairs?
- SECTION § 285.704 - After receiving the FDR, FIR, or project verification reports, what will BSEE do?
Certified Verification Agent
- SECTION § 285.705 - When must I use a Certified Verification Agent (CVA)?
- SECTION § 285.706 - How do I nominate a CVA for BSEE approval?
- SECTION § 285.707 - What are the CVA's primary duties for facility design review?
- SECTION § 285.708 - What are the CVA's or project engineer's primary duties for fabrication and installation review?
- SECTION § 285.709 - When conducting onsite fabrication inspections, what must the CVA or project engineer verify?
- SECTION § 285.710 - When conducting onsite installation inspections, what must the CVA or project engineer do?
- SECTION § 285.711 - [Reserved]
- SECTION § 285.712 - What are the CVA's or project engineer's reporting requirements?
- SECTION § 285.713 - [Reserved]
- SECTION § 285.714 - What records relating to FDRs, FIRs, and Project Modification and Repair Reports must I keep?
Reports
§ 285.700 - What reports must I submit to BSEE before installing facilities described in my approved SAP, COP, or GAP?
(a) You must submit the following reports to BSEE before installing facilities described in your approved COP (30 CFR 585.632(a)) and, when required by 30 CFR part 585, in your approved SAP (30 CFR 585.614(b)) or GAP (30 CFR 585.651):
(1) A Facility Design Report (FDR); and
(2) A Fabrication and Installation Report (FIR).
(b) You may submit separate FDRs and FIRs for integrated asset packages unless otherwise agreed to by BSEE (e.g., wind turbine generator (WTG), offshore substation/electrical service platform, array cables, export cables, and seabed preparation). If you submit separate FDRs and FIRs by integrated asset packages, you must:
(1) Ensure FDR(s) and FIR(s) for integrated asset package(s) are complete (e.g., the WTG package includes the RNA, blades, tower, foundation, and transition piece, if applicable);
(2) Explain to BSEE how all FDR(s) and FIR(s) for integrated asset packages will function together effectively in an integrated manner in accordance with your project design; and
(3) Demonstrate that such integration has been verified by your CVA.
(c) You may submit your FDRs and FIRs before or after SAP, COP, or GAP approval.
(d) Subject to the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section, you may commence fabrication and installation of the facilities on the OCS as described in each report:
(1) If BSEE deems your report submitted before SAP, COP, or GAP approval and notifies you of its non-objection to the FDR and FIR or does not respond with objections within 60 business days of SAP, COP, or GAP approval; or
(2) If BSEE deems your report submitted after SAP, COP, or GAP approval and notifies you of its non-objection to the FDR and FIR or does not respond with objections within 60 business days of the report being deemed submitted.
(e) You may commence procurement of discrete parts of the project that are commercially available in standardized form and type-certified components, or fabrication activities that do not take place on the OCS (e.g., manufacturing), prior to the submittal of the reports required under paragraph (a) of this section or any plans required under 30 CFR parts 585 and 586. The procurement and fabrication of facility components allowed under this section are subject to verification and certification by your CVA, and BSEE may object to the installation of said components on the OCS if it considers that the components or their fabrication are inconsistent with accepted industry or engineering standards, the approved SAP, COP, or GAP, the FDR or FIR, or BSEE's regulations.
(f) If BSEE has objections, we will notify you in writing within 60 business days of the report being deemed submitted. Following initial notification of any objections, BSEE may follow up with written correspondence detailing its objections to the report and requesting that certain actions be undertaken. You cannot commence fabrication or installation activities on the OCS that are addressed in such reports until you resolve all objections to BSEE's satisfaction.
§ 285.701 - What must I include in my Facility Design Report?
(a) Your Facility Design Report provides specific details of the design of any facilities, including cables and pipelines that are outlined in your BOEM-approved SAP, COP, or GAP. Your Facility Design Report must demonstrate that your design conforms to your responsibilities listed in § 285.105(a). You must include the following items in your Facility Design Report:
| Required documents | Required contents | (1) Cover letter | (i) Proposed facility designations:
(ii) Lease, ROW grant or RUE grant number; (iii) Area; name and block numbers; and (iv) The type of facility. | (2) Location plat | (i) Latitude and longitude coordinates, Universal Mercator grid-system coordinates, State plane coordinates in the Lambert or Transverse Mercator Projection System; | (ii) Distances in feet from the nearest block lines. These coordinates must be based on the NAD (North American Datum) 83 datum plane coordinate system; and | (iii) The location of any project easements. | (3) Front, Side, and Plan View drawings | (i) Facility dimensions and orientation;
(ii) Elevations relative to Mean Lower Low Water; and (iii) Pile sizes and penetration. | (4) Complete set of structural drawings | The approved for construction fabrication drawings should be submitted including, e.g.,
(i) Cathodic protections systems; (ii) Jacket design; (iii) Pile foundations; (iv) Mooring, tendon and tethering systems; (v) Foundations and anchoring systems; and (vi) Associated cable and pipeline designs. | (5) Summary of environmental data used for design | A summary of the environmental data used in the design or analysis of the facility. Examples of relevant data include information on:
(i) Extreme weather; (ii) Seafloor conditions; and (iii) Waves, wind, current, tides, temperature, snow and ice effects, marine growth, and water depth. | (6) Summary of the engineering design data | (i) Loading information ( (ii) Structural information ( | (iii) Location of foundation boreholes and foundation piles; | (iv) Foundation information (e.g., soil stability, design criteria); and | (v) For a floating facility, structural integrity, stability, and ballast information. This includes foundations, piles, templates, anchors or anchor systems, mooring, tethering and tendon systems. | (7) A complete set of design calculations | Self-explanatory. | (8) Project-specific studies used in the facility design or installation | All studies pertinent to facility design or installation, e.g., oceanographic and soil reports including the results of the survey required in 30 CFR 585.610(b), 585.626(b), or 585.645(b). | (9) Description of the loads imposed on the facility | (i) Loads imposed by the jacket;
(ii) Decks; (iii) Production components; (iv) Foundations, foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring systems; and (v) Mooring, tendon or tethering systems. | (10) Geotechnical reports | Reports and supporting data from geotechnical surveys, | (11) Design Standards | The industry standards you will apply to ensure the facilities are designed to meet § 285.105. | (12) Critical Safety Systems and Equipment | A risk assessment that identifies the Critical Safety Systems and Equipment and a description of the identified Critical Safety System and Equipment. | (13) Other information | Additional information required by BSEE. |
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(b) For any floating facility, your design must meet the requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard for structural integrity and stability (e.g., verification of center of gravity) as listed in paragraph (a)(6)(v) of this section. The design must also consider:
(1) Foundations, foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring systems; and
(2) Mooring, tendon, or tethering systems.
(c) You must submit your FDR to BSEE pursuant to § 285.110 and provide the location of records, as required in § 285.714(c).
(d) If you are required to use a CVA, the FDR must include the following certification statement with accompanying justification: “The design of this structure has been certified by a BSEE-approved CVA to be in accordance with accepted engineering practices and the approved SAP, GAP, or COP, as applicable, and has been designed to provide for safety. The certified design and as-built plans and specifications will be on file at [provide location].”
§ 285.702 - What must I include in my Fabrication and Installation Report?
(a) Your Fabrication and Installation Report must describe how your facilities will be fabricated and installed in accordance with the design criteria identified in the Facility Design Report; your BOEM-approved SAP, COP, or GAP; and generally accepted industry standards and practices. Your Fabrication and Installation Report must demonstrate how your facilities will be fabricated and installed in a manner that conforms to your responsibilities listed in § 285.105(a). You must include the following items in your Fabrication and Installation Report:
| Required documents | Required contents | (1) Cover letter | (i) Proposed facility designation, lease, ROW grant, or RUE grant number;
(ii) Area, name, and block number; and (iii) The type of facility. | (2) Schedule | Fabrication and installation schedule information. | (3) Fabrication information | The industry standards you will use to ensure the facilities are fabricated to the design criteria identified in your Facility Design Report. | (4) Installation process information | Details associated with the deployment activities, equipment, and materials, including onshore and offshore equipment and support, and anchoring and mooring patterns. | (5) Federal, State, and local permits ( | Either one copy of the permit or information on the status of the application. | (6) Quality assurance | Certificates ensuring adherence to a nationally or internationally recognized quality assurance standard. Alternate means of compliance must be approved on a case-by-case basis. | (7) Environmental information | Information about:
(i) Water discharge; (ii) Waste disposal; (iii) Vessel information; (iv) Onshore waste receiving treatment or disposal facilities; and (v) If you submitted this data as part of your SAP, COP, or GAP, you may incorporate the information by reference. | (8) Commissioning procedures for Critical Safety Systems and Equipment | Original equipment manufacturer procedures or other BSEE accepted engineering practices for commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment as identified in § 285.701(a)(12). | (9) Project easement | Information about installation of any cables, pipelines, or facilities. Information on burial methods and vessels. | (10) Other information | Additional information required by BSEE. |
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(b) You must submit your FIR to BSEE pursuant to § 285.110.
(c) You must provide the location of records, as required in § 285.714(c).
(d) If you are required to use a CVA, the FIR must include the following certification statement with accompanying justification: “The fabrication and installation of this structure has been certified by a BSEE-approved CVA to be in accordance with accepted engineering practices, the FDR, and the approved SAP, GAP, or COP, as applicable. The certified design and as-built plans and specifications will be on file at [provide location].”
§ 285.703 - What reports must I submit for project modifications and repairs?
(a) You must submit a Project Modification or Repair Report to BSEE in which you certify that major repairs and major modifications of renewable energy structures and crucial components to a completed project conform to accepted engineering practices.
(1) A “major repair” is a corrective action involving structural members affecting the structural integrity of all or a portion of the facility or substantial repair of a Critical Safety Systems and Equipment, including those identified in your FDR.
(2) A “major modification” is an alteration involving structural members affecting the structural integrity of all or a portion of the facility or substantial alteration of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment, including those as identified in your FDR.
(b) The report must also identify the location of all records pertaining to the major repairs or major modifications, as required in § 285.714(c).
(c) If you are required to use a CVA, the report described in paragraph (a) of this section must include the following certification statement with accompanying justification: “The [major modification or major repair] of this [structure or Critical Safety Systems and Equipment] has been certified by a BSEE-approved CVA to be in accordance with accepted engineering practices, the FDR, and the approved SAP, GAP, or COP as applicable.”
§ 285.704 - After receiving the FDR, FIR, or project verification reports, what will BSEE do?
(a) Determine whether the report is deemed submitted. Within 20 business days after receiving your proposed FDR, FIR, or project verification report, BSEE will review your submission. BSEE will deem your FDR, FIR, or project verification report submitted if BSEE determines it is sufficiently complete and accurate to fulfill the applicable requirements of § 285.701, § 285.702, or § 285.712.
(b) Identify problems and deficiencies. If BSEE determines that your submission has not met the conditions in paragraph (a) of this section, BSEE will notify you of the problem or deficiency within 20 business days after BSEE receives your FDR, FIR, or project verification report. BSEE will not deem your FDR, FIR, or project verification report submitted until you have corrected all problems or deficiencies identified in the notice.
(c) Notify you when the report is deemed submitted. BSEE will notify you when the FDR, FIR, or project verification reports are deemed submitted. If BSEE has not notified you within 20 business days that your report has problems or deficiencies, it is deemed submitted. Until your report is deemed submitted, the time period in § 285.700(d) does not begin running.
Certified Verification Agent
§ 285.705 - When must I use a Certified Verification Agent (CVA)?
(a) Unless BSEE waives this requirement under paragraph (c) of this section, you must use one or more CVAs to review and verify your FDRs, FIRs, and the Project Modification and Repair Reports.
(b) The purpose of a CVA is to:
(1) Ensure that your facilities are designed, fabricated, and installed in conformance with accepted engineering practices and the FDR(s) and FIR(s); and that the design of the facilities is suitable for the location where they will be installed;
(2) Ensure Critical Safety Systems and Equipment are commissioned in accordance with the procedures identified in § 285.702(a)(8);
(3) Ensure that major repairs and major modifications are completed in conformance with accepted engineering practices; and
(4) Provide BSEE and you with reports of all incidents that affect the facility design, fabrication, and installation, including commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment, for the project and its components.
(c) BSEE may waive in whole or in part the requirement that you use a CVA if you can demonstrate the following:
| If you demonstrate that . . . | Then BSEE may waive the requirement for a CVA for the following: | (1) The facility design conforms to a standard design that has been used successfully in a similar environment, and the installation design conforms to accepted engineering practices | The design of your structure(s). | (2) The relevant fabricator has successfully fabricated similar facilities, and the facility will be fabricated in conformance with accepted engineering practices and to a nationally or internationally recognized quality assurance standard | The fabrication of your structure(s). | (3) The installation company has successfully installed similar facilities in a similar offshore environment, and your structures will be installed in conformance with accepted engineering practices | The installation of your structure(s). | (4) Major repairs or major modifications will be completed in conformance with accepted engineering practices and to a nationally or internationally recognized quality assurance standard | The major repair or major modification on your structure(s). |
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(d) You must submit a request to waive, in whole or in part, the requirement to use a CVA to BSEE in writing.
(1) BSEE will review your request to waive, in whole or in part, the use of the CVA and notify you of its decision.
(2) If BSEE does not waive, in whole or in part, the requirement for a CVA, you may file an appeal under § 285.118.
(3) If BSEE waives, in whole or in part, the requirement that you use a CVA, your project engineer must perform the same duties and responsibilities as would have the CVA, except as otherwise provided. You must submit the project engineer's qualifications to BSEE as a part of your waiver request to demonstrate that your project engineer is a professional engineer with relevant experience and expertise in the facilities they will be verifying/certifying.
§ 285.706 - How do I nominate a CVA for BSEE approval?
(a) A CVA must be nominated by the lessee and approved by BSEE before conducting any verification or certification activities for which they have been nominated. If you intend to use multiple CVAs, you must nominate a general project CVA who will manage the overall project verification and certification approach and who will ensure consistency and oversight among the CVAs, especially in transition areas between different CVAs. The general project CVA must be nominated no later than COP submission.
(b) For each CVA that you nominate, you must submit to BSEE a list of documents used in your design that you will forward 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 energy facilities;
(2) Technical capabilities of the individual or the primary staff for the specific project, including relevant professional licenses, certifications, and accreditations;
(3) Size and type of organization or corporation;
(4) In-house availability of, or access to, appropriate technology (including 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 BOEM and BSEE requirements and procedures, if any; and
(7) The scope and level of work to be performed by the CVA, including all relevant reports and facilities that the CVA will verify or certify.
(c) Individuals or organizations acting as CVAs must not function in any capacity that will create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest. The CVA must not have prepared, or been directly involved in, any work related to the preparation of design, fabrication, installation, modification, or repair plans for which they will provide verification or certification services.
(d) The verification and certification must be conducted by or under the direct supervision of a registered professional engineer.
(e) BSEE will approve or disapprove your CVA as part of BOEM's review of your COP or, when required, of your SAP or GAP.
(f) You must nominate a new CVA for BSEE approval if the previously approved CVA:
(1) Is no longer able to serve in a CVA capacity for the project; or
(2) No longer meets the requirements for a CVA set forth in this subpart.
§ 285.707 - What are the CVA's primary duties for facility design review?
If you are required to use a CVA:
(a) The CVA must use good engineering judgment and practices in conducting an independent assessment of the design of the facility. The CVA must verify to BSEE that the facility is designed to withstand the environmental and functional load conditions appropriate for the intended service life at the proposed location and has been designed to minimize risk to personnel as required by § 285.105(a).
(b) The CVA must conduct an independent assessment of all proposed:
(1) Planning criteria;
(2) Operational requirements;
(3) Environmental loading data;
(4) Load determinations;
(5) Stress analyses;
(6) Material designations;
(7) Soil and foundation conditions;
(8) Safety factors;
(9) Risk assessments supporting the design for human safety and how the results are used in the design; and
(10) Other pertinent parameters of the proposed design.
(c) For any floating facility, the CVA or project engineer must also verify that any requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard for structural integrity and stability (e.g., verification of center of gravity), have been met. The CVA must also consider:
(1) Foundations, foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring systems; and
(2) Mooring, tendon or tethering systems.
§ 285.708 - What are the CVA's or project engineer's primary duties for fabrication and installation review?
(a) The CVA or project engineer must do all of the following:
(1) Use good engineering judgment and practice in conducting an independent assessment of the fabrication and installation activities and of the commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment;
(2) Monitor the fabrication and installation of the facility and the commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment as required by paragraph (b) of this section;
(3) Make periodic onsite inspections while fabrication is in progress and verify the items required by § 285.709;
(4) Make periodic onsite inspections while installation is in progress and satisfy the requirements of § 285.710;
(5) Certify in Project Verification Reports that project components are fabricated and installed in accordance with accepted engineering practices and to a nationally or internationally recognized quality assurance standard or to an equivalent alternate means of quality assurance considered on a case-by-case basis, your BOEM-approved SAP, COP, or GAP (as applicable), and your FIR. If multiple CVAs are involved in your project, the general project CVA must submit the final report containing such certification for the project. The Project Verification Report must identify the location of all records pertaining to facility fabrication and installation as required in § 285.714(c);
(6) Provide records documenting that Critical Safety Systems and Equipment are commissioned in accordance with the procedures identified in § 285.702(a)(8); and
(7) Identify the location of all records pertaining to commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment, as required in § 285.714(c).
(b) To comply with paragraphs (a)(4) and (5) of this section, the CVA or project engineer must monitor the fabrication and installation of the facility and the commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment to certify that they have been built and installed according to your FDRs and FIRs.
(1) If the CVA or project engineer finds that either fabrication and installation procedures or Critical Safety Systems and Equipment commissioning procedures, or both, have been changed or design specifications have been modified, the CVA or project engineer must inform you and BSEE; and
(2) If you accept the modifications, you must also inform BSEE.
§ 285.709 - When conducting onsite fabrication inspections, what must the CVA or project engineer verify?
(a) To comply with § 285.708(a)(3), the CVA or project engineer must make periodic onsite inspections while fabrication is in progress and must verify the following fabrication items, as appropriate:
(1) Quality control by lessee (or grant holder) and builder;
(2) Fabrication site facilities;
(3) Material quality and identification methods;
(4) Fabrication procedures specified in your FIRs and adherence to such procedures;
(5) Welder and welding procedure qualification and identification;
(6) Structural tolerances specified, and adherence to those tolerances;
(7) Nondestructive examination requirements and evaluation results of the specified examinations;
(8) Destructive testing requirements and results;
(9) Repair procedures;
(10) Installation of corrosion-protection systems and splash-zone protection;
(11) Erection procedures to ensure that overstressing of structural members does not occur;
(12) Alignment procedures;
(13) Dimensional check of the overall structure, including any turrets, turret-and-hull interfaces, any mooring line and chain and riser tensioning line segments, and tendon or tethering systems; and
(14) Status of quality-control records at various stages of fabrication.
(b) For any floating facility, the CVA or project engineer must also verify that any requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard for structural integrity and stability (e.g., verification of center of gravity) have been met. The CVA or project engineer must also consider:
(1) Foundations, foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring systems; and
(2) Mooring, tendon, or tethering systems.
§ 285.710 - When conducting onsite installation inspections, what must the CVA or project engineer do?
(a) To comply with § 285.708(a)(4), the CVA or project engineer must make periodic onsite inspections while installation is in progress and must, as appropriate, verify, witness, survey, or check the installation and commissioning of items required by this section.
(b) The CVA or project engineer must verify, as appropriate, all of the following:
(1) Loadout and initial flotation procedures;
(2) Towing operation procedures to the specified location, including a review of the towing records;
(3) Launching and uprighting activities;
(4) Submergence activities;
(5) Pile or anchor installations;
(6) Installation of mooring, tendon, and tethering systems;
(7) Final deck and component installations;
(8) Installation at the locations set forth in your FDR(s) and FIR(s); and
(9) Commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment.
(c) For a fixed or floating facility, the CVA or project engineer must verify that proper procedures were used during the following:
(1) The loadout of the jacket, decks, piles, or structures from each fabrication site;
(2) The actual installation of the facility or major modification and the related installation activities; and
(3) Commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment.
(d) For a floating facility, the CVA or project engineer must verify structural integrity, stability, and ballast, and that proper procedures were used during the following:
(1) The loadout of the facility;
(2) The installation of foundation pilings and templates, and anchoring systems; and
(3) The installation of the mooring and tethering and tendon systems.
(e) The CVA or project engineer must conduct an onsite inspection of the installed facility as approved in your CVA scope of work.
(f) The CVA or project engineer must make periodic onsite inspections to witness the commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment in order to verify that:
(1) The Critical Safety Systems and Equipment function as designed; and
(2) The final commissioning Critical Safety Systems and Equipment records are complete.
(g) The CVA or project engineer must spot-check the equipment, procedures, and recordkeeping as necessary to determine compliance with the applicable documents incorporated by reference and the regulations under this part.
§ 285.711 - [Reserved]
§ 285.712 - What are the CVA's or project engineer's reporting requirements?
(a) The CVA or project engineer must prepare and submit to you and BSEE all reports and records required by this subpart. The CVA or project engineer must also submit interim reports to you and BSEE, as requested by BSEE. BSEE will review and respond within 30 days.
(b) For each report required by this subpart, the CVA or project engineer must submit the final report to BSEE pursuant to § 285.110. In each report, the CVA or project engineer must:
(1) Give details of how, by whom, and when the CVA or project engineer activities were conducted;
(2) Describe the CVA's or project engineer's activities during the verification process;
(3) Summarize the CVA's or project engineer's findings; and
(4) Provide any additional comments that the CVA or project engineer deems necessary.
(5) Summarize any issues with the design and any incidents during facility fabrication and installation, or Critical Safety System and Equipment commissioning, and how those issues were resolved.
§ 285.713 - [Reserved]
§ 285.714 - What records relating to FDRs, FIRs, and Project Modification and Repair Reports must I keep?
(a) Until BOEM releases your financial assurance under 30 CFR 585.534, you must compile, retain, and make available to BSEE, within the time specified by BSEE, all of the following:
(1) The as-built drawings;
(2) The design assumptions and analyses;
(3) A summary of the fabrication and installation examination records;
(4) The records of the commissioning of Critical Safety Systems and Equipment;
(5) The inspection results from the inspections and assessments required by §§ 285.820 through 285.825; and
(6) Records of repairs not covered in the inspection report submitted under § 285.824(b)(3).
(b) You must record and retain the original material test results of all primary structural materials during all stages of construction until BOEM releases your financial assurance under 30 CFR 585.534. Primary material is material that, should it fail, would lead to a significant reduction in facility 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, as required in §§ 285.701(c) and (d), 285.702(c) and (d), 285.703(b), and 285.708(a)(5) and (7).