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To
Our Guests:
Welcome to our web site Thank you for taking the time to visit with
us.
On July 30, 2008, Interior Secretary Kempthorne
and I announced a major
new energy initiative for the nation's Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS). Today's action not only highlights the important role the OCS
plays in meeting America's energy needs -- it will also open
discussions across the country about how best to expand the nation's
domestic energy production. In light of the current energy situation and
President Bush’s lifting of the Executive Withdrawal, Secretary
Kempthorne directed the MMS to begin the initial steps for
developing a
new Five-Year Program. We are, in effect, getting a two-year
jumpstart on that process, but it is still a multi-step and
multi-year effort to develop the program.
The current Five-Year Program took effect on July
1, 2007 at a time when oil was only $64 a barrel and does not
contain many of the areas that were under Withdrawal and remain
under Congressional ban. Should the Congressional ban be lifted, a
new program would have to be developed to make those areas
available.
(07/31/2008)
Randall Luthi
Director, Minerals Management Service |
Extension of the Comment Period |
New
5-Year Leasing Program
On August 1, 2008, MMS issued
a Request for Comments on the preparation of a
possible new 5-year OCS oil and gas leasing program.
The comment period was to close on Monday, September
15, 2008. However, due to the significant
disruptions to people and services earlier from
Hurricane Gustav and expected from Hurricane Ike
over the days, we are extending the comment period
to Thursday, September 18, 2008.
Comments are
accepted via the online Public Connect system, via
email at
5yearRFIComments@mms.gov, and in hard copy
to: Ms. Renee Orr
5-Year Program Manager
Minerals Management Service (MS-4010)
381 Elden
Street; Herndon, VA 20170 |
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MMS
and the Gulf of Mexico
Energy Security
Act of 2006
On
December 20, 2006, the President signed into law the
Gulf of
Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub. Law 109-432)
(50.83 KB PDF file). The
Act significantly enhances OCS oil and gas leasing
activities and revenue sharing in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).
The Act:
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requires
leasing in 8.3 million acres in the GOM, including 5.8
million acres that were previously held under
Congressional moratoria; |
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bans oil and gas leasing
within 125 miles off the Florida coastline in the
Eastern Planning Area, and a portion of the
(03/20/2008)
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Secretary
Dirk Kempthorne
Initiates Action
Following Receipt of Inspector General
Reports
WASHINGTON
– Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne recently initiated
action following receipt of Inspector General
reports on MMS Royalty In Kind
(RIK) program employees.
Following
his call for “swift action,” Secretary Kempthorne this
afternoon issued a memorandum to Assistant Secretary for
Land and Minerals Management C. Stephen Allred and MMS
Director Randall Luthi outlining his expectations.
(09/11/2008)
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Hurricane
Gustav/Hurricane Ike Activity Statistics Update – September 15, 2008
Minerals Management Service Monitors Activities for Both Storms Through its Continuity of Operations Plan
NEW
ORLEANS — Offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico are re-boarding platforms and rigs and restoring
production following both Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike. The MMS is monitoring
activities for both hurricanes through its Continuity of Operations Plan team. This team will be activated
until operations return to normal.
Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CDT today,
personnel have been evacuated from a total of 562 production platforms, equivalent to 78.4 % of
the 717 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Production platforms are the structures located
offshore from which oil and natural gas are produced. These structures remain in the same location
throughout a project’s duration unlike drilling rigs which typically move from location to location.
Personnel from 82 rigs have also been evacuated; this is equivalent to 67.8 % of
the 121 rigs currently operating in the Gulf. Rigs can include several types of self-contained
offshore drilling facilities including jackups, submersibles and semisubmersibles.
(09/15/2008)
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MMS Monitors Two Drilling
Rigs Adrift in Gulf of Mexico
Confirmed Reports of Two Offshore Drilling Units, MMS, Industry, and US Coast Guard are
Monitoring their Paths
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.
“MMS is closely monitoring these rigs, and they have been relatively stationary for several hours,” said Lars
Herbst, regional director, MMS Gulf of Mexico Region. “We expect tugs to be on location to secure the rigs as soon as sea conditions allow.”
(09/13/2008)
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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)
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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)
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Interior
Department Initiates New
5-Year Oil and Gas Leasing Program
for
Outer Continental Shelf
Seeks
Public Comment to Address Changed Energy Situation
WASHINGTON,
D.C. ? 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.”
(07/30/2008)
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