Left to Right:  MMS Director Johnnie Burton, Willie Ard, Kim Fawvor, Jack Schneider, and Offshore Minerals Management Associate Director Tom Readinger

Apache Corporation acquired Mr. Fawvor in attempts to improve Apache’s compliance in the Gulf of Mexico and to institute a Safety and Environmental Management Program (SEMP). Apache Corporation anticipated that SEMP would improve not only Apache’s performance but also its overall corporate process. The SEMP is a nontraditional, performance-focused tool for integrating and managing offshore operations. The purpose of SEMP is to enhance the safety and cleanliness of operations by reducing the frequency and severity of accidents. The MMS has asked industry to adopt SEMP voluntarily.

Mr. Fawvor’s expertise in the development and implementation of SEMP on offshore facilities enhanced Apache’s regulatory compliance. Mr. Fawvor has been very successful in implementing the SEMP process into Apache’s corporate structure, where it has become one of the cornerstones. One of the MMS objectives for regulating safe operations has been to promote continuous improvement in safety and pollution prevention. Integral to that is some method of determining if the safety management systems have the necessary components, that they are in place, and that they are effective. This is accomplished through a sound audit program.

Mr. Fawvor persuaded Apache’s corporate leaders to conduct an audit of its SEMP in cooperation with MMS. Personnel from the Office of Safety Management, along with personnel from the New Orleans District, participated in a 4-day audit of Apache’s safety management system. The audit began on November 26, 2001, in Apache’s Lafayette, Louisiana, office and concluded on November 30, 2001.

The audit included one day spent offshore to conduct a drill-down at Main Pass 289, platform "C." This audit proved successful and produced a complete, detailed report highlighting strengths and weaknesses within Apache’s safety management program. Mr. Fawvor’s goal of making Apache a leader in the performance of SEMP deserves appropriate recognition.

For these reasons, Mr. Fawvor is most deserving of the MMS Corporate Leadership Award.