Here's What's New at MMS

NEW ORLEANS — The Minerals Management Service has two confirmed reports of drilling rigs adrift in the central Gulf of Mexico. The MMS, industry, and the U.S. Coast Guard are working together to monitor the paths of the two rigs. MMS has determined through a pre-hurricane season risk analysis that there is minimal infrastructure in the areas surrounding these two rigs. (09/13/2008)

MMS Extends the Comment Period For Proposed: New 5-Year Leasing Program

On August 1, 2008, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) issued a Request for Comments on the preparation of a possible new 5-year federal OCS oil and gas leasing program. The comment period was scheduled to close on Monday, September 15, 2008. (09/12/2008)

Hurricane Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity Statistics Update—September 12, 2008: Minerals Management Service Monitors Activities for Both Storms Through its Continuity of Operations Plan (09/12/2008)

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today initiated action following yesterday’s receipt of Inspector General reports on Minerals Management Service (MMS) Royalty In Kind (RIK) program employees.  (09/11/2008)

MMS Releases Preliminary Offshore Damage Reports from Hurricane Gustav: Collection of Preliminary Damage Reports Slows As Gulf Operators Prepare for Hurricane Ike

The MMS today released preliminary damage reports for the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas infrastructure resulting from Hurricane Gustav.

From August 31, 2008 through September 1, 2008, approximately 677 oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico were exposed to hurricane conditions, winds greater than 75 miles per hour. There are approximately 3,800 production structures in the Gulf; this includes both manned and unmanned facilities. (09/11/2008)

Hurricane Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity Statistics Update – September 11, 2008: Minerals Management Service Monitors Activities for Both Storms Through its Continuity of Operations Plan  (09/11/2008)

NEW ORLEANS — In preparation for Hurricane Ike, offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico have stopped re-boarding platforms and rigs following Hurricane Gustav and are maintaining the evacuated status to protect against harm. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) continues to monitor activities for both hurricanes through its Continuity of Operations Plan team. This team will be activated until operations return to normal. (09/10/2008)

Hurricane Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity Statistics Update: September 9, 2008
—MMS Activates its Continuity of Operations Plan to Monitor Activities (09/09/2008)

RIK Report Details $63 Million Gain: MMS Delivers FY 2007 Results to Congress

More than $63 million in additional benefits was achieved for the Federal Government and American taxpayer in Fiscal Year 2007 through the Royalty in Kind (RIK) Program administered by the MMS.

The $63 million gain is detailed in an annual report to Congress prepared by MMS that examines the FY 2007 performance of the Royalty in Kind Program. (09/08/2008)

Hurricane Gustav Activity Statistics Update: September 6, 2008—MMS Activates its Continuity of Operations Plan to Monitor Activities  (09/06/2008)

Tropical Storm Gustav Activity Statistics Update:  Minerals Management Service Activates its Continuity of Operations Plan to Monitor Activities (08/28/2008)

Sperm Whales Reside in Deepwater Gulf of Mexico

The MMS today released the results of a six-year, $9.3 million study on sperm whales, an endangered species living in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The Sperm Whale Seismic Study (SWSS) focused on the effects of seismic activities on sperm whales living in an area that is highly industrialized with oil and gas exploration and production activities. (08/21/2008)

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced that the Western Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Lease Sale 207, held today in New Orleans, attracted $487,297,676 in high bids. The sale was conducted by Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) and had 53 companies submitting 423 bids on 319 tracts comprising over 1.8 million acres offshore Texas. The sum of all bids received totaled $607,134,968. (08/20/2008)

The bids are in for Western Gulf of Mexico Federal Oil and Gas Lease Sale 207 to be held tomorrow. The MMS Gulf of Mexico Region announced that 423 bids were received from 47companies on 319 tracts offered offshore Texas.

Reading of the sealed bids will take place tomorrow, August 20, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Royal Sonesta Hotel, 300 Bourbon Street, New Orleans. (08/19/2008)

The MMS Continuity of Operations Plan team is concluding its activities related to Tropical Storm Edouard. This is the final update of evacuation and shut-in production statistics for Tropical Storm Edouard.

Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CST today, personnel have been evacuated from a total of 0 production platforms, equivalent to 0 % of the 717 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. (08/07/2008)

NEW ORLEANS — Offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico have evacuated platforms and rigs in the path of Tropical Storm Edouard. The Minerals Management Service has activated its Continuity of Operations Plan team to monitor the operators’ activities. This team will be activated until operations return to normal and the storm is no longer a threat to the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activities. (08/06/2008)

The MMS announced today that nominations are being sought for three representatives from the public-at-large to serve on the Department of the Interior’s Royalty Policy Committee (RPC).

The nominations, due by August 15, 2008, are for representatives from the general public who have a knowledge and interest in royalty issues. (08/01/2008)

The MMS announced today it will continue with sales restricted to small refiners as part of its Royalty-in-Kind (RIK) program.

The “Small Refiner Program” provides access to crude oil supplies for domestic refining companies with fewer than 125,000 barrels per day refining capacity and 1,500 employees. The program is currently operating at a level of approximately 30,000 barrels per day in the Gulf of Mexico. (07/30/2008)

Saying the nation’s energy situation has dramatically changed in the past year, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today jumpstarted the development of a new oil and natural gas leasing program for the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. The action could give the next administration a two-year head start in expanding energy production from federal offshore jurisdictions, including some areas where a congressional ban had prevented oil and gas development.

“When our current five-year program for Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing was launched in July 2007, oil was selling for $64 a barrel,” Kempthorne said. “Today a barrel of oil costs more than $120, almost double the price a year ago. Clearly, today’s escalating energy prices and the widening gap between U.S. energy consumption and supply have changed the fundamental assumptions on which many of our decisions were based.” (7/30/2008)

The MMS announced today it is extending the public comment period on the proposal to amend the regulations, distributions and disbursement of royalties, rentals, and bonuses to include the allocation and disbursement of revenues from certain leases on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf. (07/28/2008)

The MMS has awarded a $1.3 million grant to the State of Louisiana through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) for the Orleans Land Bridge Shoreline Protection and Marsh Creation project. The project will build approximately 50,000 feet of rock breakwater and restore approximately 220 acres of marsh with dredged material in the Golden Triangle area bounded by the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, the Intracoastal Waterway and the western shore of Lake Borgne in Orleans Parish. (07/28/2008)

The MMS announced today that it is proceeding with the consultation and analyses necessary to move toward the issuance of limited leases under its interim policy for authorizing alternative energy data collection and technology testing activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

MMS announced its interim policy in November 2007 to jumpstart basic information gathering efforts relating to development of OCS alternative energy resources such as wind, waves, and ocean currents as authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct). (07/23/2008)