Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has established the Ocean Energy Safety Institute to “provide a forum for dialogue, shared learning and cooperative research among academia, government, industry and other non-government organizations in offshore-related technologies and activities that ensure safe operations with limited impact to the environment.”
The Institute stems from a recommendation from the Ocean Energy Safety Advisory Committee (OESC), a federal advisory group comprised of representatives from industry, federal government agencies, non-governmental organizations and the academic community. The recommendation calls for establishing a body that will provide a program of research, technical assistance and education and serve as a center of expertise in oil and gas exploration, development and production technology.
BSEE emphasizes that the Institute is expected to be an important source of unbiased, independent information and will not have any regulatory authority over the offshore industry.
BSEE is now seeking applications for an organization to manage the Institute. Organizations that are eligible to apply are state and county governments and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. Proposals are due July 29, 2013. The cooperative agreement will be worth up to $5 million over five years.
To read the solicitation or submit an application go to www.grants.gov and search for funding opportunity number E13AS00001.