The 2005 US Energy Policy Act is calling on the Mineral Management Service for a ‘comprehensive inventory’ of oil and gas resources on the outer continental shelf (OCS). The legislation calls for resource estimates on the OCS, including moratoria areas, using ‘any available technology, except drilling, but including 3-D seismic surveys’ although the six month time frame imposed by the legislator means that no 3D surveys will actually be commissioned. MMS plans to use existing data and is ‘encouraging industry’ to provide data that ‘may not have been previously shared’. The report will be publicly available and updated at least every 5 years.
Katrina
Following the impact of hurricane Katrina, the MMS implemented its Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), moving its operations to Houston. The MMS’ Gary Strasburg told Oil IT Journal, ‘Every May the COOP team and all of their backups participate in a COOP test in which they simulate a total shut down of the New Orleans ‘NOLA’ domain. During this time we also set up communication with the US Coast Guard.’
© Oil IT Journal - all rights reserved.