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Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region |
FOR RELEASE: | August 15, 1997 | CONTACT: | Barney Congdon |
(504) 736-2595
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Carla Langley | (504) 736-2775 |
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS) announced that it will begin the formal review process on Chevron U.S.A. Inc.s Development Production Plan (DPP) to develop natural gas resources located 25 miles offshore Floridas northwest coast. Chevron U.S.A. Inc. submitted its Destin Dome 56 Unit Plan of Development to the MMS on November 19, 1996. After an extensive initial review of the plan, the MMS determined that the information submitted by Chevron was complete.
The MMS will now begin an extensive technical, engineering, and environmental analysis of the plan to determine if it can be approved. This review process may take up to two years and will examine such things as structural specifications, safety systems, installation verification, drilling procedures, pipeline specifications and environmental protection. As part of the process, the MMS will soon publish in the Federal Register a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The MMS believes it will take about a year to prepare a draft EIS to examine the potential effects of the project on the marine, coastal, and human environments.
In addition to MMSs requirements, Chevron must obtain permits and approvals from other Federal and State agencies prior to commencement of the proposed production activities. Chevron must acquire both air and water quality permits prior to commencing their operations. Air emissions (in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico) and water discharges are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The MMS may not issue a permit for the proposed activities unless the State of Florida concurs that Chevrons plan is consistent with the States Coastal Zone Management Program. Throughout this process, MMS will involve the State of Florida. There will be public scoping meetings, presentations to local citizen groups particularly in the Panhandle area, and press advisories regarding the status of this project.
Chevron U.S.A. Inc.s proposed plan covers 11 contiguous lease blocks in the Destin Dome 56 Unit (see Figure on Fact Sheet). Previously, Chevron had drilled three exploration wells in 1987, 1989, and 1995 in this area, each of which resulted in significant discovery of natural gas. Chevron filed the plan on behalf of itself and its two partners: Murphy Exploration & Production Company and Conoco Inc.
Public Information copies of Chevrons Destin Dome 56 Unit DPP may be found at the following locations:
Minerals Management Service Eastern Gulf Information Office 41 North Jefferson Street Pensacola, Florida 32501 (850) 433-2279 |
Jackson-George Regional Library Pascagoula, Mississippi
Eudora Welty Library
Thomas B. Norton Public Library
Alabama Public Library Service
University of South Alabama
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West Florida Regional Library Pensacola, Florida
University of West Florida
Fort Walton Beach Public Library
Bay County Public Library
Florida State University |
The MMS is the Federal Agency that manages the Nations natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, and collects, accounts for, and disburses about $4 billion yearly in revenues from offshore Federal mineral leases and from onshore mineral leases on Federal and Indian lands.
Chevrons Destin Dome Development Plan
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-MMS-GOM-
MMS Internet website address:
http://www.mms.gov/
24 hour Fax-on-Demand Service: (202) 219-1703