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HR 8099

Plug Offshore Wells Act

119th Congress Introduced by Suzanne Bonamici and 9 co-sponsors

The Act requires the Interior Secretary to annually publish public, standardized reports on offshore decommissioning activity, enforcement, and timelines.

Introduced in House
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Bill Summary · HR 8099

Summary of HR 8099 — Plug Offshore Wells Act

Jurisdiction: United States Congress
Session: 119th Congress
Introduced: March 26, 2026
Primary sponsors: Ms. Dexter; with co-sponsors from multiple members (Norton, Kennedy, Brownley, Bonamici, Min, Levin, Mullin, Huffman)

Purpose and intent

  • The Act would require the Secretary of the Interior to annually report to Congress (and publicly on the Department of the Interior’s website) on offshore decommissioning activities for oil and gas wells, platforms, and pipelines.
  • The overarching goal is to increase transparency and accountability in the decommissioning process by systematically tracking applications, determinations, in-progress actions, and enforcement related to decommissioning.

Key provisions

  1. Short Title

  2. The bill may be cited as the “Plug Offshore Wells Act.”

  3. Definitions

  4. Decommissioning: Uses the definition specified in 30 C.F.R. 250.1700 (or its successor regulation), i.e., the formal process of permanently retiring offshore oil and gas facilities.

  5. Secretary: Refers to the Secretary of the Interior.

  6. Annual Report to Congress and Public Access

  7. Timing: The Secretary must produce an annual report, with the initial report due not later than two years after enactment, and then annually thereafter.

  8. Report contents (for the preceding calendar year) include:
    1) Number of decommissioning applications required under subpart Q of Part 250, Title 30, C.F.R. (or successor regs).
    2) Number of applications received by the Secretary.
    3) Number of offshore wells, platforms, and pipelines for which decommissioning did not occur by the required date under subpart Q.
    4) Number of offshore wells and platforms approved for decommissioning in place under § 250.1750 (or successor).
    5) Lengths of pipelines:

    • Decommissioned in place under § 250.1750 (or successor), and
    • Removed under §§ 250.1752 and 250.1754 (or successors). 6) Enforcement status by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) related to decommissioning, including:
    • Notices of incidents of noncompliance
    • Orders
    • Citations
    • Civil penalties
    • Disqualifications from future offshore operations

Who/what would be affected

  • Federal regulatory regime for offshore oil and gas decommissioning:

    • Developers and operators of offshore wells, platforms, and pipelines subject to 30 C.F.R. Part 250 subpart Q.
    • The Department of the Interior (specifically the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s regulatory framework, and BSEE for enforcement actions).

  • Public and legislative transparency:

    • Information on decommissioning activity would be publicly accessible via the Interior Department’s website, increasing public visibility into decommissioning timelines, decisions, and compliance actions.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Initial reporting deadline: Not later than two years after enactment.
  • Ongoing obligation: Annual reports thereafter, covering the preceding calendar year.
  • Publication: Reports must be publicly available on the Department of the Interior’s website.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Transparency and accountability: Regular, standardized reporting could improve oversight of decommissioning timelines, whether projects are completed on schedule, and enforcement effectiveness.
  • Compliance focus: By tracking notices, penalties, and disqualifications, the bill emphasizes enforcement visibility in offshore decommissioning.
  • Data consistency: The bill relies on existing regulatory subparts and sections (e.g., 30 C.F.R. Part 250, subpart Q; sections 250.1750, 250.1752, 250.1754), which helps align reporting with current rules but may require coordination to ensure consistent annual data across agencies.

Note: The bill, as introduced, does not change the underlying regulatory requirements for decommissioning; it centralizes reporting and public disclosure of those activities.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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