Oil and Gas

UK Offshore Petroleum Regulator Adds 2 Deep Drilling Screening Directions for 2026 (DR/2647/1 and DR/2621/0)

On 15 May 2026 the UK Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning added two further deep drilling screening directions to its 2026 GOV.UK register, covering BP’s MUNGO well DR/2647/1 and Liverpool Bay CCS’s Hamilton North injector well DR/2621/0. These decisions extend the record of environmental screening outcomes for specific offshore projects, signalling continuing regulatory scrutiny of deep drilling activity in UK waters that operators should track alongside their permitting and impact assessment obligations.

15 May 2026, 17:49gov.ukUnited Kingdom

UK OPRED Adds New Offshore Decommissioning Consultations and Close-Out Report

On 15 May 2026 the UK Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning updated its offshore decommissioning guidance page to add further draft decommissioning programmes for consultation and a new close-out report for an existing programme. This confirms continuing decommissioning activity and regulatory scrutiny on the UK Continental Shelf, with operators expected to plan for safe removal or in-situ abandonment of infrastructure under the Petroleum Act and associated energy legislation while engaging with OPRED consultations and pipeline monitoring obligations.

15 May 2026, 17:44gov.ukUnited Kingdom

South Carolina Ratifies S.893 (SUPERB Law) Amending Underground Petroleum Environmental Response Bank Act

South Carolina has ratified S.893 (SUPERB Law), doubling state cleanup coverage for petroleum UST releases to USD 2 million per occurrence and phasing in higher annual tank renewal fees from 2029, while tightening the financial parameters of the Superb funds and updating the advisory committee. Owners and operators of underground storage tanks should plan for increased renewal costs, verify eligibility for enhanced remediation support, and adjust long-term budgeting and liability strategies in light of the revised funding caps and transfer rules.

15 May 2026, 17:43scstatehouse.govUnited States

US House Passes H.R. 1346 on Year-Round E15 and RFS Small Refinery Reforms

In May 2026, the US House passed H.R. 1346, a Clean Air Act amendment package expanding year-round E15 gasoline sales and restructuring Renewable Fuel Standard obligations and exemptions for small refineries and small refining companies. If enacted, this would ease compliance barriers to higher-ethanol gasoline while capping broad small-refinery waivers, tightening transparency, and directing EPA to update infrastructure and labelling rules, shifting medium-term compliance strategy for fuel producers and blenders.

15 May 2026, 16:21govinfo.govUnited States

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Proposes Produced Water Land-Application Amendments to 30 TAC Chapters 210 and 309

Texas has proposed amendments to 30 TAC Chapters 210 and 309 that would move permitting of land application and reuse of treated produced water to TCEQ, clarify that the rules cover industrial wastewater, and set new siting and design standards for produced water irrigation systems, with consultation running to mid-June 2026. This signals a material shift in how produced water is managed in Texas, creating new compliance, permitting and fee obligations for oil and gas operators and land-application permit holders while potentially expanding options for beneficial water reuse.

15 May 2026, 16:17sos.state.tx.usUnited States

HSE Fines Tetra Technologies UK £350,000 After Chemical Tank Collapse at Peterhead Base

In May 2026, the UK Health and Safety Executive fined Tetra Technologies UK Limited £350,000 after a corroded 700-tonne calcium chloride storage tank collapsed at its Peterhead offshore base, causing life-changing injuries to a contractor. The case underlines that operators of chemical storage and offshore supply facilities must rigorously inspect and maintain ageing tanks to meet Health and Safety at Work Act duties and avoid severe enforcement, operational disruption, and liability.

15 May 2026, 15:07press.hse.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

UK Regulators Publish 2025 Progress Report on Underwater Noise Management in Harbour Porpoise SACs

UK regulators have released a 2025 progress report on managing underwater noise from offshore energy activities in key harbour porpoise Special Areas of Conservation, confirming that 2025 operations stayed within existing disturbance thresholds. The report adds no new legal duties but reinforces expectations for operators to share noise and schedule data early and coordinate through joint planning forums and trackers as regulators refine noise management tools ahead of the 2026 season.

15 May 2026, 15:06assets.publishing.service.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

California Assembly Appropriations Committee Advances AB 2461 on Oil and Gas Bonding Requirements

In May 2026, California’s Assembly Appropriations Committee heard AB 2461 on oil and gas bonding, placed it on the suspense file, and then advanced it with amendments, moving the bill into floor consideration. If enacted, the bill would extend bonding and other financial assurance requirements to a wider set of well and facility ownership and control transactions, potentially increasing decommissioning and site restoration obligations for oil and gas operators in California.

15 May 2026, 13:39leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

Bulgaria Energy Regulator Consults on Updated Gas Transmission Network Rules

Bulgaria’s Commission for Energy and Water Regulation has opened a short consultation until 27 May 2026 on amendments to the gas transmission network management and technical rules to harmonise natural gas quality parameters with neighbouring CESEC markets. If adopted before the 2026/27 capacity auctions, the updated standards could require gas transmission operators and shippers to adjust gas quality control, metering and cross‑border flow arrangements to maintain compliance and safeguard security of supply.

15 May 2026, 13:39strategy.bgBulgaria

California AB 2711 Oil And Gas Notice Bill Advances From Assembly Appropriations Committee

In mid-May 2026, California Assembly Bill AB 2711, which would amend Public Resources Code Section 3203 on oil and gas notice-of-intention procedures, moved through the Assembly Appropriations Committee after its first hearing. If enacted, this proposal would change notice-of-intention requirements for oil and gas drilling projects in California, so operators and permitting teams should closely track the upcoming Assembly floor process and any further amendments.

15 May 2026, 13:37leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

Alaska DEC Opens Comment Periods on Vitus Marine ODPCP and Hotham Inlet Sand and Gravel Water Quality Certification

In May 2026 the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation opened public comment periods on a Vitus Marine oil discharge prevention and contingency plan and on state water quality certification for the Hotham Inlet Nimiuk Point Sand and Gravel project, with comments due by mid June. These reviews will shape operating and water quality conditions for tanker operations and sand and gravel activities in Hotham Inlet, so affected operators, communities, and other stakeholders should review DEC’s project documents and submit any concerns or data before the June deadlines.

15 May 2026, 13:36dec.alaska.govUnited States

Louisiana DEQ Updates Public Notices for LNG and Compressor Station Permits

Louisiana’s environmental regulator has updated public notices for major LNG terminals and a gas compressor station, extending or clarifying public comment opportunities and hearing schedules on key air and water discharge permits in May–June 2026. These changes keep permitting decisions for large gas infrastructure live, so operators, investors, and nearby industrial facilities should review the revised timelines and consider whether to submit comments or prepare for potential permitting outcomes.

15 May 2026, 13:31deq.louisiana.govUnited States

New Zealand Government Outlines Gas Security Package After Sharp Reserves Drop

New Zealand has released 2026 petroleum reserves data showing a sharp 23 percent fall in gas reserves and is using this as the backdrop to publicly promote a pro-gas energy security package, including reversing the offshore exploration ban, creating a NZD 200 million Gas Security Fund, pursuing LNG import capacity, and enabling CCUS. These moves signal a material shift in New Zealand’s energy transition trajectory toward more gas and new infrastructure, with implications for future permitting, investment decisions, climate targets, and long-term reliability and affordability of power for energy-intensive industry.

15 May 2026, 13:22beehive.govt.nzNew Zealand

Alabama ADEM Seeks Comment on Shell Offshore Drilling Plan in Mississippi Canyon Block 477

Alabama’s environmental regulator is taking public comment until 28 May 2026 on Shell Offshore Inc.’s proposal to drill four new wells in Mississippi Canyon Block 477 under the state’s coastal management programme review. This consultation signals an important opportunity for offshore operators and coastal stakeholders to raise environmental and coastal-resource concerns before ADEM issues its federal consistency determination.

15 May 2026, 09:40adem.alabama.govUnited States

Oklahoma Adopts HB4338 Amending Brine Development Act for Produced Water Units

On 12 May 2026 Oklahoma enacted HB4338 as an emergency measure, immediately updating the Oklahoma Brine Development Act to cover produced-water units and clarify how brine and produced water used for mineral extraction are regulated. The law creates new unitization, royalty, recordkeeping and liability frameworks for operators handling produced water for constituent extraction, reducing disposal risks but requiring updated contracts, governance and compliance procedures for brine and produced-water projects.

14 May 2026, 18:52oklegislature.govUnited States

US Commerce Issues Preliminary 2023 CVD Review Results and Partial Rescission for Korean Oil Country Tubular Goods

The US Department of Commerce has issued preliminary 2023 countervailing duty review results for Korean oil country tubular goods, finding a de minimis 0.13 percent subsidy rate for SeAH Steel and partially rescinding the review for other Korean producers. Importers and Korean OCTG producers now face a short window to submit briefs and hearing requests before final rates are set by September 2026, which will determine refund or collection of 2023 duties and whether future SeAH shipments require cash deposits.

14 May 2026, 12:36federalregister.govUnited States

New Mexico WQCC Advances Petition To Expand Produced Water Reuse Rules In 13 Counties

New Mexico’s Water Quality Control Commission has voted to advance a petition and draft amendments to 20.6.8 NMAC that would create a four-tier permitting regime for reuse and discharge of treated oil and gas wastewater across 13 counties, with a full rulemaking hearing to follow. If adopted, the framework would open new non-potable reuse routes for produced water while imposing complex monitoring, toxicity testing and financial-assurance obligations on treatment facilities and large industrial water users, materially shaping water-scarcity strategies and compliance risk in the state.

14 May 2026, 09:26env.nm.govUnited States

Florida HB 5701 (2026) Moves to Budget Conference on Petroleum Cleanup Programs

Florida lawmakers have advanced HB 5701E, a petroleum cleanup bill that removes the 2025–2026 fiscal year limit on certain cost-sharing protections and has now passed both chambers and moved into budget conference in May 2026. If enacted, this would extend state-backed funding and stable cost allocation under the Inland Protection Trust Fund for petroleum cleanup, reducing uncertainty over deductibles, caps, and residual costs for owners and operators of petroleum storage sites in Florida.

14 May 2026, 06:01flsenate.govUnited States

Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority Grants Equinor Consent To Use Irpa Subsea Production System

Norway’s offshore safety regulator has granted Equinor consent to use the Irpa subsea production system and associated Aasta Hansteen modifications, published in May 2026. This operational approval clears a key step toward Irpa production start-up in 2026, signalling progress on offshore gas capacity under Norway’s established HSE framework.

14 May 2026, 05:56havtil.noNorway

Slovenian Government Adopts Temporary CO2 Environmental Charge Levels for Fuels

In May 2026 the Slovenian government adopted a temporary decision reintroducing environmental charges on CO2 emissions from motor fuels, setting new per-unit rates that apply until 1 June 2026. This stabilises short-term fuel prices while signalling active use of carbon pricing, so fuel suppliers and fuel-intensive users should factor these levy levels and their June 2026 review point into cost planning and decarbonisation strategies.

13 May 2026, 19:08gov.siSlovenia