C.F.R. » Title 30 » 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 › Subpart Q—Decommissioning Activities

30 C.F.R. § 250.1725

When do I have to remove platforms and other facilities?

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(a) You must remove all platforms and other facilities within 1 year after the lease, pipeline right-of-way, or right-of-use and easement terminates, unless you receive approval to maintain the structure to conduct other activities. Platforms include production platforms, well jackets, single-well caissons, and pipeline accessory platforms. Other activities include those supporting OCS oil and gas production and transportation, as well as other energy-related or marine-related uses (including LNG) for which adequate financial assurance for decommissioning has been provided to a Federal agency which has given BSEE a commitment that it has and will exercise authority to compel the performance of decommissioning within a time following cessation of the new use acceptable to BSEE. The approval will specify:

(1) Whether you must continue to maintain any financial assurance for decommissioning; and

(2) Whether, and under what circumstances, you must perform any decommissioning not performed by the new facility owner/user.

(b) Before you may remove a platform or other facility, you must submit a final removal application to the Regional Supervisor for approval and include the information listed in § 250.1727.

(c) You must remove a platform or other facility according to the approved application.

(d) You must flush all production risers with seawater before you remove them.

(e) You must notify the Regional Supervisor at least 48 hours before you begin the removal operations.

[76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, as amended at 88 FR 23581, Apr. 18, 2023]
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2020–2025 · leading case: Taylor Energy Co. LLC v. United States, 975 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2020).
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Taylor Energy Co. LLC v. United States, 975 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2020). “30 C.F.R. §§ 250.1725 , 250.141. A lessee, moreover, remains liable for decommissioning un- til all of its wells have been successfully decommissioned to regulatory standards, or the lessee has obtained express departures from those requirements.”
Ankor Energy, LLC et al. v. Merit Mgmt. Partners I, L.P. et al. (E.D. La. 2025). “”); 30 C.F.R. §250.1725 (“You must remove all platforms and other facilities within 1 year after the lease .”
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