The Minerals Management Service's mission is to manage the mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in an environmentally sound and safe manner and to collect, verify, and distribute mineral revenues from Federal and Indian lands in a timely manner.

The MMS:
 

	conveys exploration and development rights;
	assesses environmental information;
	evaluates mineral resources;
	manages and inspects offshore oil and gas operations; and
	manages revenue collection from Federal and Indian lands.

As a regulator of offshore oil and gas, MMS has expertise in explaining the way its regulations work from "cradle to grave"- from the time the rights are granted to explore to the clean up of an offshore site when production ceases. The MMS monitors a diverse industry and balances its performance-based regulatory system with prescription where necessary.

International Activities

The MMS takes an active approach to identify and to become involved in international initiatives that promote better integration of safety and environmental concerns into offshore development decisionmaking. To do this we focus on:
 

	monitoring, developing, and refining safety and environmental standards;
	technical and information exchanges with our international regulatory counterparts; and
	providing technical advice to the U.S. Department of State.

Internationalization of Offshore Oil and Gas Standards – Today, many offshore oil and gas producing nations are considering what role developed standards should play in their overall regulatory regime. Governments understand that, if done correctly, a set of internationalized standards that allows for regional differences can lower costs, make more resources economic to produce, and raise worldwide safety and environmental performance. If done incorrectly, internationalized standards that are imposed on the industry from external sources can be inefficient, costly, and burdensome. The MMS is actively participating in the activities of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO, Technical Committee 67. The standards developed by this ISO group will impact the oil and gas industry for years to come.

Technical and Information Exchanges

Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) – The MMS has entered into MOU’s with Norway, China, Australia, Indonesia and Russia to exchange scientific and technical information related to offshore oil, gas and mineral activity. The MOU’s allow for cooperation and information exchanges on virtually all aspects of offshore safety and environmental management.

Technical Assistance to Caspian Sea Countries – With funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, MMS provides advice and assistance to the countries of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Georgia, as they continue their efforts to implement legislative and regulatory reforms to provide more stable regulatory regimes. The experience and expertise MMS is providing through technical assistance workshops and regulatory partnerships is designed to help these countries develop and implement regulatory systems that incorporate modern-day safety and environmental standards.

Russian Offshore Oil and Gas Environment and Safety Regulatory Regime – In 1997, MMS (with funding from U.S. AID and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD)) was  asked by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to assist them in evaluating and reforming the Russian offshore oil and gas regulatory system. The first phase of this project termed "RUNARC" from Russia/U.S.A./Norway Arctic Offshore Oil and Gas Regime was completed in December 1998 with the publication of a Feasibility Study Report (FSR). The MNR in conjunction with several Russian agencies and ministries and with technical assistance from MMS and NPD finished the FSR which includes a thorough review of the current Russian system, identifies regulatory gaps and overlapping authority, and makes recommendations for reforming their regime to meet Russia’s changing needs. The proposed regime would bring the Russian system in line with modern International standards and practices. The second phase of this three-phase project is currently underway and will set the foundation for this change by developing Russian standards for offshore operations, list all laws, regulations, and guidelines, and will set out the responsibilities of Russian authorities for regulating offshore oil and gas operations. The proposed Phase III of this project will implement a new comprehensive regime and is estimated to take approximately five years to complete.

Technical Assistance to Bangladesh – Under an Interagency Agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy and funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the MMS is working with the Government of Bangladesh to provide technical assistance as they consider ways to restructure the responsibilities of their Ministry of Energy and the national oil company, Petrobangla. A two-fold effort is planned: a workshop in Dhaka on the role and responsibilities of a government regulatory agency in managing a nation’s mineral resources, and a visit to the United States by a delegation of Bangladesh government and Petrobangla representatives to meet with U.S. policy makers and managers in government agencies, regulatory staff in the field, and representatives from regulated oil and gas companies.

Technical Assistance to Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economies – MMS will continue to work with the Department of State to provide technical assistance to APEC economies. Topics of cooperation include oil spill response and cooperation, offshore oil and gas platform decommissioning, and managing aging offshore infrastructure.

Technical Advice to the Department of State – MMS will continue to assist and monitor the activities of the Convention on the Law of the Sea, the London Convention of 1972, and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution Guidelines for offshore oil and gas operations, and provides technical assistance to the U.S. Department of State on negotiations with Mexico regarding the boundary in the Western Gap of the Gulf of Mexico. Participation in these types of reviews and negotiations is vital to the Nation’s domestic oil and gas industry.

For more information about the International Activities Program, please contact:

International Activities Program
381 Elden Street (MS 4030)
Herndon, Virginia  20170-4817
(703) 787-1300
FAX (703)787-1284