Industry Awards Program
History of the MMS Industry Awards Program &
Luncheon
Since 1983, the Bureau has presented awards to
energy companies to recognize outstanding performance. This year marks
the 10th year for our Bureau-wide Industry Awards Program and Luncheon and
the 25th anniversary of the Safety Award for Excellence.
Offshore Energy and Minerals Management (Offshore) conceived the Awards
Program and Luncheon in 1999. However, many years of awards to industry,
from both Offshore Energy and Minerals Management and
Minerals Revenue Management (formerly the Royalty Management
Program), preceded the annual awards event we hold today.
Offshore began presenting the
Safety
Award for Excellence (SAFE) in 1983 to recognize safe operations in the Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS), by district and region, as well as nationally.
Before 1999, Offshore presented the national SAFE awards at the annual
National Ocean Industries Association awards luncheon.
The Secretary of the Interior established the
Mineral Revenues Stewardship Award (Stewardship
Award) in 1987 to commend exceptional performance by
companies that report production and pay royalties for Federal and
Indian minerals leases to the (MRM). More than 1,600 companies submit reports of mineral sales and
production and pay royalties for minerals that are sold or removed from these leases.
Through 1999, the North American Petroleum Accounting Conference hosted the formal
ceremony for the Stewardship Award winners. MRM joined the Bureau-wide awards event in 2000.
Providing incentives, such as the Stewardship Award, helps
MRM achieve its mission to provide timely, accurate, and cost-effective mineral revenue
collection and disbursement services. In addition to overall accuracy and timeliness of
payments and reports, companies receiving this award also have demonstrated noteworthy
cooperation and responsiveness with the MRM in resolving reporting, compliance, and
enforcement issues.
In 1999, an idea was presented to Offshore management that
a more formal awards program and luncheon be held annually in Houston to honor SAFE
winners. There would be a morning session to exchange information with attendees, followed
by a luncheon during which the SAFE would be presented. The scope of the SAFE was expanded
and Offshore added two new awards:
The first Offshore Industry Awards Program in
1999 was tremendously successful with more than 325 people attending.
Consequently, the decision was made to expand the 2000 Program to include
all of the Bureau. The Secretary of the Interior’s Mineral Revenues Stewardship
Award was incorporated into the 2000 Industry Awards Program and Luncheon.
The popularity of this event has grown each year, with over 700 people
attending last year’s event.
The Bureau is grateful for the opportunity to recognize companies
and individuals that excel in their work, care about the environment and meeting their
fiscal responsibilities. Award recipients at this event now include OCS
lessees, operators, and contractors, as well as companies operating,
reporting, and paying royalties on Onshore Federal and Indian oil, gas,
and solid minerals leases. We consider it a privilege to recognize
outstanding companies and individuals that share our commitment to
excellence. We applaud you for a job well done, and we look forward to
your attendance at these events for many years to come.
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