This program's activities address technological issues associated with the complete spectrum of operations ranging from the drilling of exploratory wells to the removal and decommissioning of platforms and related production facilities. The expansion of industry operations into the deepwater areas of the Gulf of Mexico presents significant technological challenges to industry and MMS the regulator. The industry is focused upon the development of new concepts, operational procedures, production facilities, and transportation facilities to meet the physical and economic challenges imposed by the operating environments associated with water depths between 3,000 to 10,000 feet. In many cases, custom designs are being developed, employing new space age materials and unique operating characteristics all of which need to be independently verified by MMS to promote safety of operations and protection of the environment.

Concurrently, industry continues to conduct exploratory drilling operators on shallow water areas of the Gulf of Mexico focused upon finding new oil and natural gas accumulations which are being identified by technologically advanced geophysical data collection and computer-assisted analyses systems. Companies also continue to operate several thousand production platforms and subsea pipelines of various ages and operational efficiencies. As these platforms and pipelines continue to age, MMS is becoming increasingly concerned with means to ensure the integrity of these older facilities and is sponsoring research on the means available to conduct such assessments and processes available to correct or reverse problematic aging events. Finally, as platforms and associated production facilities reach the end of their useful lives is currently happening in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Southern California  decommissioning and removal are required. National and International focus upon this process has identified numerous safety and long-term environmental concerns which must be addressed by MMS regulatory personnel as such operations proceed. Multiyear research projects are being  formulated by MMS to assess the most feasible means of decommissioning and removal of these facilities including the possible impacts on the marine environment as well as related onshore impacts arising from regulatory decisions.

The first commercial development of oil discoveries on Federal portions of the Beaufort Sea Offshore Alaska also present special challenges to the MMS TA&R Program particularly the forces associated with sea ice and potential impacts of ice forces upon the production structures and pipelines necessary to produce these discoveries.