NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 SCIENCE - BOEM

MMSSCIENCEVOLUME 2 ISSUE 6 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL OF THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE

Meeting theChallengein the Face ofNature’s Wrath

A Hurricane onthe OCS

Tahiti FieldDevelopment

Taking AnotherLook –Ivan theTerrible

Effects onArctic Cisco

DownBut Not Out

PowerfulNew Lessons

Meeting theChallengein the Face ofNature’s Wrath

A Hurricane onthe OCS

Tahiti FieldDevelopment

Taking AnotherLook –Ivan theTerrible

Effects onArctic Cisco

DownBut Not Out

PowerfulNew Lessons

2 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL OF THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 Volume 2 Issue 6

3 Meeting the Challenge in the Face of Nature’s Wrath

4 A Hurricane on the OCSPlanning for the Worst

5 Tahiti Field DevelopmentAdding to Domestic Production

6 Taking Another Look –Ivan the Terrible

7 Effects on Arctic CiscoWorkshop Convenes to Discuss Factors

8 Down But Not OutMMS Soldiers on in Aftermath ofHurricanes Katrina, Rita

10 Powerful New LessonsHurricanes on the OCS

12 New WavesLate-breaking News & Information

For more information about the Minerals Management Service, check out our site on the World Wide Web:

www.mms.gov

SubscribeTo receive MMS OCEAN SCIENCE, sign up on the website

www.gomr.mms.gov, click on e-mail subscriptions on the left-handcolumn, check the box marked Environmental Studies or e-mail

[email protected] or call (703) 787-1662

MMSSCIENCE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 Volume 2 Issue 6

MMS OCEAN SCIENCE is published bi-monthly by the MineralsManagement Service to communicaterecent ocean science and technologicalinformation and issues of interest relatedto offshore mineral recovery, oceanstewardship, and mineral revenues.

Please address all questions,comments, suggestions, and changesof address to:Mary BoatmanMMS OCEAN SCIENCE EditorMinerals Management Service381 Elden StreetHerndon, VA 20170

[email protected]

(703) 787-1662

ABOUT THE COVERTop: Mars platform before Hurricane Katrina.

Bottom: Mars platform damage after Hurricane Katrina. Photos courtesy Shell Exploration & Production.

All photos courtesy of Minerals Management Service

unless otherwise noted.Publication services provided by

Schatz Publishing Group

3MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

Extracting oil and gas from

geological formationsthousands of feet below theocean’s surface withoutadversely affecting the

surrounding ecosystems is difficult atbest. The equipment needed to do so istechnologically and financiallychallenging. When that equipment isconfronted by the fury of a majorhurricane with 145+ miles per hourwinds, the results can be disastrous. Butwhen two large storms hit within weeksof each other, the results can becatastrophic. Yet in the aftermath ofHurricanes Katrina and Rita, the damage, while extensive, is notirreparable. This is due in part to thelessons learned from earlier hurricanesand to the cooperative effort of theMinerals Management Service (MMS)and its industry and academic partners.

After Hurricane Ivan in 2004,operators in the Gulf of Mexico, incooperation with MMS, have reviewedand considered technologies to ensureequipment is stronger, smarter, andbetter able to withstand the stresses ofstorms such as Katrina. Studies fundedby MMS have helped scientistsunderstand hurricanes and predict theirforce. And additional studies have beenawarded to learn more about HurricaneIvan – studies that may reduce damagein future hurricanes.

The mission of MMS is to oversee

offshore oil and gas exploration andproduction, safeguard human life,protect the marine environment, andensure that our Nation receives fairmarket value for those resources. Thatmission is made much more difficult bynatural disasters such as Katrina andRita. With the help of its industry andacademic partners, MMS is exploringnew technologies, researching newfrontiers, and formulating new plans ofaction that will ensure that its mission issuccessful and America’s energy future isalways secure.

Left and Below: Transferring of oil from a platformto a tanker. After the hurricanes, onshore facilitieswere damaged, making it impossible to transportthe oil from the platform to shore throughpipelines. Transferring the oil to a tanker allows theproduct to reach undamaged facilities.

Bottom: Hurricane tracks in the Gulf of Mexico. Red is Rita, yellow is Katrina, green is Ivan, andpurple is Dennis.

IN THE FACE OF NATURE’S WRATH

MEETING THE CHALLENGE


An approaching hurricane raises the level of concern for the

Minerals Management Service(MMS) and the offshore oil and gasindustry long before it reaches the watersof the Gulf of Mexico. The MMS andindustry must prepare for the protectionof offshore workers, equipment, and theenvironment. Pre-storm planning is used to outline evacuation methods,shut-in of production, and post-stormstart-up procedures.

The monumental job of evacuatingthe 25,000-30,000 offshore workersbegins well in advance of the hurricane.

Helicopters and boats take all but thoseessential employees necessary to “shut-in” the facility. The process of closingdown or shutting in the facility may beaccomplished either on the platform or,for many new platforms, remotelythrough the Supervisory Control andData Acquisition (SCADA) system.

All wells on the Outer ContinentalShelf (OCS) must be equipped withdownhole safety valves that shut off theflow of oil in the event of an emergency.Should the platform be damaged, thesevalves “shut-in” production flow to pre-vent pollution events until the production can be safely reestablished.

Operators are required to report shut-in production statistics to MMS.These statistics include the platformname, daily oil production, cumulativeoil shut-in, daily natural gas production,cumulative natural gas shut-in, anticipat-ed production return time, and the rea-son production was shut-in. At theheight of Hurricane Katrina, 100% of oilproduction and 94% of gas productionon the OCS was shut-in. During Hurri-cane Rita, the worst storm to affect theoffshore industry, again 100% of the oiland 86% of gas production was shut-in.

As the storm abates, operators returnto inspect the damage to the platforms,rigs, and equipment. They must inspectfor damage above water and underwater.If the initial underwater inspectiondetects significant structural damage,more detailed underwater inspectionsmust be conducted. A completeinspection of pipelines must also becompleted before start-up. A visualinspection is conducted by divers orremotely operated vehicles (ROV’s). Acheck for flow, leaks, or other damagethat cannot be readily seen by the initialvisual inspection is also required.

Repairs may entail rerouting the flowof oil or gas through other pipelines. For others, repairs may take a year ormore and cost millions of dollars. Incases where pipelines will not beavailable for a long period of time,alternative transportation methods areavailable, such as where the oil may betransferred to a tanker and taken toshore (see page 3).

When the repairs are finished andinspections completed, production willresume. At each step of the start-up,MMS works with industry operators toallow the production to be resumed asrapidly as possible while still ensuringthe protection of human lives and theocean environment.

PLANNING FOR THE WORST

A HURRICANE ON THE OCS

The MMS requires all wellbores in the Gulf of Mexico to include a downhole safetyvalve (DSV) pictured here. A DSV isolates wellbore pressure and fluids in the eventof an emergency or failure of surface equipment. In severe hurricanes, closing theDSV eliminates the potential for the escape of any oil, gas, or wellbore fluid intothe Gulf. During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, these devices were 100% successful inpreventing an accidental release.

Hydraulic controlline to surface

Hydraulicpressure bled offto close valve

Control sleeve

Fail-safe springmechanism

Flapper

Open Closed


Three-day path of Hurricane Katrina from August27-29, 2005. Courtesy David E Dismukes.

Chevron USA recently announcedthe start of construction of thefloating production facility for

installation in the Tahiti Field. Tahiti islocated in Green Canyon Blocks 640,641, and 596 of the Gulf of Mexico, 190miles south of New Orleans, and will bedeveloped from two subsea drill centersproducing to a floating productionfacility supported by a truss spar.

The subsea drill centers will be locat-ed near the two Tahiti appraisal wells inGreen Canyon Blocks 596 and 640 thatwere completed in 2003. One of theappraisal wells encountered more than1,000 feet of net pay, one of the mostsignificant net pay accumulations in thehistory of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

Tahiti is one of the Gulf's largestdeepwater discoveries, located in 4,200feet of water, and is believed to hold400–500 million barrels of potentiallyrecoverable oil-equivalent.

The Tahiti Field is designed to have adaily production capacity of 125,000barrels of oil, 70 million cubic feet ofnatural gas, and treatment capability for120,000 barrels of produced water. Thefield will be developed in phases.Chevron holds a 58% majority share inthe joint venture Tahiti project withStatoil ASA holding 25% of the projectand Shell Exploration and ProductionCo. a 17% share. Chevron, as majorityparticipant, will serve as the operator ofthe field. Total capital costs for theproject are anticipated to be

Diagram of the planned Tahiti project showing thetruss spar floating production facility (FPF) and the tie-backs from several wells. Diagram courtesy of Chevron.

ADDING TO DOMESTIC PRODUCTION

TAHITI FIELD DEVELOPMENTapproximately $3.5 billion, includingthe first phase cost of $1.8 billion. The first phase is expected to achieveproduction by mid-2008.

The deepwater spar hull will be 558feet (170 meters) long and 128 feet (39 meters) in diameter and have a steelweight of 24,000 metric tons. Delivery ofthe hull and topside modules is set formid-2007.

The Tahiti Field, when fully devel-oped, is expected to add significantly tothe production of domestic oil and gas,having a positive impact on the Nation'sreliance on imported oil and gas.


While damage to oil and gasproduction in the Gulf ofMexico (GOM) from

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita continues tobe assessed, a study of the lessonslearned from last year’s Hurricane Ivanmay help operators in the GOM betterprepare for the next Katrina.

Hurricane Ivan hit the GOM with140+ mile-per-hour winds. Although150 platforms and 10,000 miles ofpipelines were directly in the path ofIvan, there was no loss of life and nosignificant pollution. Thirty-oneplatforms were seriously damaged ordestroyed and 10% of the GOMproduction was interrupted for over fourmonths.

Facilities that were damaged by Ivaninclude mobile drilling rigs, offshore

IVAN THE TERRIBLE

TAKING ANOTHER LOOKplatforms, producing wells, topsidesystems including wellheads andproduction and processing equipment,risers, and pipeline systems thattransport oil and gas ashore fromoffshore facilities.

Last year, the Minerals ManagementService (MMS) awarded contracts tostudy the impact of Ivan on offshore oiland gas structures in the Gulf. One studyexplores information from wave gaugesdeployed by the Naval ResearchLaboratory on the Outer ContinentalShelf (OCS). Preliminary findingssuggest that wave heights were over 69feet and that maximum crest-to-troughheights of individual waves exceeded132 feet near the eyewall.

Other studies will assess theconsequential damage to structures and

Extreme Waves Under Hurricane IvanOn September 15, 2004, the center of Hurricane Ivan passed directly over

six wave-tide gauges deployed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), atdepths of 60 and 90 meters (197 and 295 feet), on the outer continental shelfin the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, allowing measurement of the extremewaves directly under this Category 4 hurricane.

The satellite image (right) shows the eye of Hurricane Ivan just southeastof the boot of Louisiana on September 15, 2004 (provided by NRL's OceanOptics Group). The NRL moorings are shown as blue dots. A National DataBuoy Center (NDBC) buoy is shown as a red circle and the track of HurricaneIvan is shown in green with the squares marking the hurricane's center everythree hours.

The chart (left) indicates the wave height(H) in meters for significant wave height(circles) and maximum wave height (crosses)for the six moorings and wave height for theNDBC buoy (dotted line) over time (days). Theradial distance of Hurricane Ivan's center fromthe buoys is shown as green squares. Waveswere observed with significant wave heightsreaching 17.9 meters (59 feet) and maximumcrest-to-trough individual wave heights of 27.7meters (91 feet). Analysis suggests thatsignificant wave heights likely surpassed 21meters (69 feet) and that maximum crest-to-trough individual wave heights exceeded 40meters (132 feet) near the eyewall.

FFOROR MOREMORE INFORMAINFORMATIONTION::

Subject: Hurricane Ivan Research

Website: www.mms.gov/

tarprojectcategories/

HurricaneIvan.htm

Subject: Hurricane IvanInformation

Website: www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/

whatsnew/hurricane/ivan.html

pipelines, determine the effectiveness ofcurrent design standards and pollution-prevention systems, and developrecommendations for changes, if needed, to industry standards and MMS regulations.


Falling catches of Arctic cisco inrecent years and the possiblecorrelations with offshore

development are of great concern toresidents of the North Slope Borough.The Minerals Management Service(MMS) convened a workshop on thevariability of Arctic cisco (Qaaktaq) inthe Colville River and brought togetherlocal experts from Nuiqsut, Kaktovik,and Barrow, Alaska, and Tuktoyaktuk,Canada, as well as scientists from theUnited States and Canada. Collectivelythey represented a wealth of expertiseand experience.

The primary goals were to share theirknowledge of the Arctic cisco, to identifyimportant questions and to considerhow those questions might be answeredin the future.

Commercial catches within theColville Delta have been monitoredsince 1967, and subsistence catches since1985. Reported catches have beenvariable over time, with a series ofdeclining catches from 1997 to 2002,which has caused community concern.

A panel of community elders andlocal experts recounted to fellowworkshop participants their personalobservations of historical catches ofArctic cisco and events associated withthe rise and fall of the catches oravailability of the fish. Some of theseobservations were before 1940. Thechanges most emphasized in thepresentations were the decreases insubsistence catches from nets set underthe ice of the Colville River during the1970’s, with many examples of catchesdropping from hundreds of fish per dayto tens of fish or less per day. Residentsreported Arctic cisco have also decreasedin size, now requiring the use of smallermesh nets. Concerns and possiblecorrelations with oil developmentinclude both onshore and offshoreactivities. Additional presentations ofArctic cisco ecology, oceanography,genetics techniques, and fisheriesmodeling continued with discussions ofissues and information needs.

WORKSHOP CONVENES TO DISCUSS FACTORS

EFFECTS ON ARCTIC CISCO The workshop participants prioritized

the topics of most concern, which were

1. Effects of development and human activities

2. Review previously collectedCanadian and Alaskan data,including Elders’ information

3. Arctic cisco life history4. Migration of young of the year

from Mackenzie River5. Water quality, contaminants6. Genetics, source stocks7. Colville river dynamics8. Ice roads and bridges9. Seismic, noise

10. Climate change11. Socioeconomics

There was a consensus amongparticipants that initial efforts should bemade to collect and synthesize availableinformation. There are very good catchstatistics for the commercial fishery since1967 and the subsistence fishery since1985. There are relevant data on thefisheries, fishes, oceanography, weather,water quality, and land use.

Participants identified potential State,Federal, and international agencies ororganizations that may be approachedfor joint efforts or possible funding forthis project. Particular importance wasgiven to the potential for a cooperativeor collaborative effort between theCanadian and Alaskan communities. For some concerns such as water quality,groundwater contamination, andmeasurements of body burden levels of possible contaminants in subsistencefoods, there are existing programs inwhich the community can ask forassistance or participation.


Proceedings of a Workshop on theVariability of Arctic Cisco(Qaaktaq) in the Colville RiverWebsite: www.mms.gov/Alaska/reports/

2004Reports/2004_033.pdf

Top: Nuiqsut resident clearing ice to access his fishnet in the Colville River on a relatively warm day(above 0˚ F) at sunset (about 2 P.M.).

Middle: Harvesting Arctic cisco (Qaaktaq) after theother end of the net is pulled up through anotherice hole.

Bottom: The Arctic cisco (Qaaktaq) is a crucialsubsistence food resource for residents of Nuiqsuton the northern coast of Alaska.

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The one-two punch ofHurricanes Katrina and Ritahad a catastrophic impacton MMS employees in the New Orleans office andother locations.

In New Orleans, with about 500MMS employees, the impacts have beendevastating on both personal andprofessional fronts. Many employeeshave lost their homes and all are dealingwith the impacts. The MMS officebuilding was damaged but escaped thedestruction that so much of the city hasexperienced. Repairs have begun.

Fortunately, the MMS workforceknows how to land on its feet. Atemporary office was established inHouston by the Gulf of Mexico RegionContinuity of Operations Team beforeKatrina hit and quickly expanded in thestorm’s wake. This temporary office is anew work home for 150 employees.Crisis counseling is being made avail-able to all MMS employees affected bythe storms.

“We know many of our staff face verytough times in the wake of HurricaneKatrina,” MMS Director Johnnie Burtontold employees in the aftermath ofHurricane Katrina. “I know that all the

members of the MMS family wish tosend our thoughts and prayers to our co-workers and their families,” she said.“While we need to restore theoperational capabilities of the MMS Gulfregion, we are concerned first about thesafety of all our staff. I am humbled bythe dedication already demonstrated bymany of our staff and want to thankeveryone for their continued support. As the President has said, right now weface very tough times but as a Nation wewill recover and we will be stronger. A million thanks to everyone.”

On September 13, Secretary Nortonand MMS Director Johnnie Burton metwith MMS employees who relocatedtheir regional headquarters from NewOrleans and commended them for theiroutstanding dedication and effort.Despite their personal losses, these pro-fessionals continue to work with energycompanies to help restore Gulf oil andgas production shut down by the storms.

Norton thanked Interior employeesfor their commitment and efforts. “Morethan 1,400 Interior employees areworking with local and State agencies torescue residents trapped by the storm,provide food, water and shelter, and helpwith recovery efforts throughout theregion,” Norton said. “MMS employees,many of whom lost their homes andpossessions, have been especiallydedicated, carrying on their publicservice under the most difficultconditions.”

Immediately after the storm, theprimary focus for MMS washumanitarian aid to those personsdevastated by Hurricane Katrina. TheMMS released 10 of its contractedhelicopters for search-and-rescuemissions. Several oil and gas companiesalso donated their helicopters and boatsfor this purpose.

The MMS has now located andaccounted for all the members of our

DOWN BUTNOT OUT

MMS SOLDIERS ON IN AFTERMATH OF

HURRICANES KATRINA, RITA


New Orleans office displaced by thestorm. The Continuity of Operationsteam relocated to Houston as Katrinaapproached New Orleans. Within a fewdays, a heroic group of around 20individuals gathered and have workedtirelessly through some very long hoursevery day since Katrina, gathering and

assessing data on the status of operationsin the Gulf.

The Gulf of Mexico is of vitalimportance to American citizens,supplying 29 percent of the Nation’sdomestic oil supply and 19 percent ofthe gas produced domestically. For thisreason, within hours after Katrina moved


Subject: Gulf of Mexico Region Home Page

Website: www.gomr.mms.gov

Subject: Hurricane Information

Website: www.gomr.mms.gov/

homepg/whatsnew/hurricane/

index.html

“…My thoughts are with you and your families as we work toward rebuilding our lives, our homes, and the Gulf of Mexico Regional Office.

I appreciate your support, cooperation, and willingness to pitch in and do what it takes to get this massive job done.”

Chris Oynes, Gulf of Mexico Regional Director, September 14, 2005

through, the complex process of energyrestoration began in the Gulf.

The first step was aerial overflights bythe industry to conduct initial damageassessments. Then, personnel boardedthe facilities and checked structuralcomponents, production equipment,and pipelines for damage.

As Hurricane Rita bore down on theGulf, the process began again, workingto shut down, secure, and evacuate rigsand platforms before the storm hit, andthen surveying the damage afterward.The complex process of restoring energyproduction in the offshore region begananew and continues.

“I cannot find words to sufficientlypraise the dedication of these MMSemployees in the Gulf Coast Region –many of whom had their homesdestroyed or severely damaged. Yet theyhave devoted every waking hour tohelping restore energy for America,”MMS Director Burton said.

Hurricane Oil Spill Response

For the last 30 years, there has been a steady decrease of the OuterContinental Shelf (OCS) oil spill rate. In fact, the spill rate has decreasedalmost 67%. The progress is due to a diligent commitment to

environmental safety. Although the total volume of oil spilled on the OCS hasdeclined each decade since 1970, a Category 4 or 5 Hurricane like Ivan, Katrina,or Rita brings the possibility of damage to pipelines and platforms that couldresult in an oil spill.

To increase safety and environmental stewardship of OCS operations,Minerals Management Service (MMS) requires advanced training for offshorepersonnel in production safety and well control techniques. In addition, allexploration, development, and production plans submitted by operators in the Gulf must include up-to-date oil spill contingency plans and environ-mental reports.

The MMS manages a comprehensive safety inspection program dedicated tosafe exploration, development, and production operations on the OCS. A full-time staff conducts almost 25,000 inspections of offshore facilities each year –up 60% since 1999. Should a mishap occur, MMS makes use of itscomprehensive accident inspection program to identify and address any issue.

As part of its mission to keep offshore development safe andenvironmentally sound, MMS has funded research over the last 25 years tolearn more about the behavior of potential spills and methods of containment.At the National Oil Spill Response Test Facility (Ohmsett), industry andacademic scientists are testing and documenting the behavior of hundreds oftypes of crude oils and refined products. Methods of containing each of theseoil types in differing weather conditions and diverse locations have been andare being developed.


Whether deep or shallow, fixedor floating, pipeline orplatform, oil and gas

production structures on the OuterContinental Shelf (OCS) must withstandincredible stresses – water pressure,ocean currents, and the powerful forcesof fierce hurricanes. The engineeringgoals for each of these structures is thatthere will be no loss of life and noenvironmental damage, and no long-term disruption of oil and gasproduction in the event of a hurricane orother catastrophic event. The MineralsManagement Service (MMS) isresponsible for ensuring that these goalsare met.

This past summer, Hurricanes Katrinaand Rita combined to severely test OCS

engineering criteria. Fortunately, therewas no loss of life or significantenvironmental damage on the OCS fromproduction structures and equipment.But a total of 160 platforms and rigswere damaged or destroyed, the majorityof which were older and low-producingstructures that were built before 1988,when more stringent engineeringstandards were adopted. However, Shell’s$550 million Mars facility, a deepwatertension leg platform (TLP), sustainedmajor damage.

One engineering issue that has beenidentified from experiences withhurricanes is the design of mooringanchors. Nineteen Mobile OffshoreDrilling Units (MODU’s) were torn fromtheir moorings and were found adriftafter Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Toaddress this issue, Secretary of theInterior Gale Norton called for aconference of industry leaders and

HURRICANES ON THE OCS

POWERFUL NEW LESSONS

Hurricanes Rita and Katrina paths, August andSeptember 2005. Gold area indicates HurricaneKatrina’s path/hurricane force winds. Pink area indi-cates Hurricane Rita’s path/hurricane force winds.

associations with regulators to discussand recommend changes that mightprevent mooring failure in the future.

Another potential design issuehighlighted initially by Hurricane Ivanlast year and then by Katrina and Rita isthe deck height – the space between theocean and the lower deck of an oil andgas platform. Wave-tide gauges set up bythe Naval Research Laboratory to studywaves in the Gulf recorded individualwave heights reaching an amazing 91 to132 feet – heights that put platforms andequipment at risk. New regulations fordeck height are being assessed and mayneed to be implemented to preventfurther damage. The MMS and itsindustry partners will work together toapply any new information to create asafer operating environment.

Pipelines have a proven track recordof reliability on the OCS; however, theycan still be affected by powerful

LEGEND

• Platforms•–•– Storm track for the eye of Katrina

Hurricane Force Winds – Katrina•–•– Storm track for the eye of Rita

Hurricane Force Winds – Rita


hurricanes on the OCS. While the effectsof Katrina and Rita on the pipelinesystem are still being evaluated, thedamage during Hurricane Ivan (approx-imately 100 pipelines) proved they arenot completely safe from the effects of ahurricane. While these represent a smallpart of the 33,000 miles of pipelinecurrently on the OCS, improvements inthe system – such as re-routing thepipelines out of mudslide areas – arebeing explored to provide additionalsecurity to the environment and to theflow of the Nation’s energy supply.

To obtain valuable data about theeffects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita onthe Gulf itself, MMS is funding anexploration cruise to collectoceanographic information along thehurricanes’ paths. Shortly before Katrinahit, an MMS-funded observational studywas completed in the area of the storm’spath. Scientists will be able to comparethe two studies to assess the changes in

the Gulf and learn more about theeffects of powerful hurricanes on Gulfecosystems.

While Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita have caused tragic losses,scientists, operators, engineers, andregulators have a chance to learn fromthe damage experienced in thesepowerful storms and improve the safetyof both production and transportationin the future.

Of the 4,000 platforms that MMSregulates, 3,050 platforms were in thepath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The preliminary damage assessmentindicated that 112 of the older “end of life” facilities built prior to MMS’supgraded design standards weredestroyed.

Major new facilities withstood thestorms better, with only one majorfacility destroyed and four receivingsignificant damage. Repairs are alreadyunderway on the damaged facilities, but

On this diagram of a platform, the deck height isthe distance from the sea surface to the base of thelower deck. The deck height can vary from 42 to53.5 feet, depending on the water depth, for newinstallations and between 24 and 48 feet for existingplatforms, depending on the type of structure andwater depth. Artist’s rendition courtesy of BPExploration and Production.

a substantial portion of production isexpected to remain shut-in until thehurricane season next year.

The MMS has taken a number ofactions to facilitate the process ofreturning energy resources to America,consistent with the need for safety. Thesemeasures include expediting review ofrequests for temporary barging of oil orflaring of small amounts of natural gas;expediting the approval process forpipeline repairs; waiving of cost recoveryfees until January 2006; and maintainingcontinuous operations in the Gulf areadespite evacuation and relocation of theMMS New Orleans office and damage todistrict offices.

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MMS Regional Office Operations Return to NewOrleans and Commits to Staying in the Area

We are working to secure a new 10-year lease for the Elmwood build-ing and are working with the property owner to update the buildingas part of the repairs.”

As of October 28th, all employees reported for duty, with about350 occupying the first five floors of the Elmwood Towers and a smallcontingent in a neighboring building; and about another 150 remain-ing in Houston until the other five, more heavily damaged, floors arerepaired. About 100 district employees have continued to work in thedistrict offices along the Gulf Coast despite Hurricanes Katrina andRita. The Lake Charles district office was temporarily closed because ofHurricane Rita but reopened with full operations on October 24th.

The MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office has been located in theNew Orleans metropolitan area since the agency was created in 1982,and has been housed at the Elmwood Towers building since 1986.“The return of the Gulf of Mexico Regional Office to New Orleans is aclear indication of the Federal Government’s commitment to therebuilding of the metropolitan area,” said Director Burton.

The Department of theInterior’s MineralsManagement Service

reopened its Gulf of MexicoRegional Office at 1201

Elmwood Park Boulevard in New Orleans. “After two months of oper-ating with a reduced staff in Houston, we are happy to have all ouremployees back at work, and the majority back in the Elmwoodspace,” stated MMS Director Johnnie Burton. “Despite the temporaryloss of offices housing more than 600 employees, we moved aggres-sively to resume full operations.”

Because of the extensive damage sustained by the regional officeduring Hurricane Katrina, employees were prevented from returningto work. A temporary office with a contingency of employees wasestablished in Houston.

Director Burton noted that “MMS is committed to stay in theNew Orleans area and contribute to the economic revival of the area.

Sun sets behind platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

Photo courtesy of Gregory S. Boland

Documents

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 SCIENCE - BOEM