U.S. Department of the Interior
Minerals Management Service
Office of Communications

NEWS RELEASE

MMS and Australia to Share Information

Today, in Washington, D.C., the Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service and the Australia Department of Primary Industries and Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to share scientific and technical information related to offshore oil, gas, and mineral activities.

Representing Australia was Tim Mackey, Executive Director of the Resources and Energy Group. The Director of the Minerals Management Service, Cynthia Quarterman, signed the agreement for the United States.

"The MMS is eager to begin our cooperative activities with Australia. I believe that topics such as deep water development,
operations and safety, environmental protection, oil spill prevention and research, and even submerged prehistoric archeological sites will be of great interest to both countries," remarked Director Quarterman.

This MOU renews information exchanges between the countries on oil and gas resource assessment, leasing, development, environmental protection, economic analysis, risk perception, safety of personnel and offshore installations and pipelines, and public education.

The United States and Australia cooperate through other avenues
such as the International Regulators' Forum, the Pacific Congress on Economics and Development, and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

MMS is the federal agency that manages the Nation's natural gas, oil, and mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, and collects, accounts for, and last year disbursed about $6 billion in revenues each year from offshore mineral leases and from onshore mineral leases on federal and Indian lands.

-MMS-

MMS Internet website address: http://www.mms.gov
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