The SPL Project Management Group (a third party group) has coordinated and managed allocation systems in the Gulf of Mexico since the mid-1980’s. They perform the project management, allocations, and analytical services for 17 offshore gathering systems, 8 deepwater platforms, and 2 gas processing plants. They are also leaders in developing an allocation method for retrograde condensate. They allocate retrograde condensate on 9 of 11 offshore gathering systems.

Specifically, Mark Brown and Jeff Wild, have been advisors, educators, and helpers to the Gulf of Mexico Region in the evaluation, approval, and review of allocation systems, ensuring lessees and operators are paying their proper royalties. They work directly with the Production Measurement and Surface Commingling Section and Minerals Revenue Management (MRM) to help lessees rectify allocation volumes.

The MMS would especially like to recognize Mr. Brown and Mr. Wild for the role they played during 2001 to help this office resolve appeals from pipeline companies regarding retrograde condensate. They voluntarily acted as negotiators in helping resolve complex issues, and in educating and communicating with MMS and the pipeline companies to facilitate a solution that was agreeable to all parties. They worked tirelessly with the parties behind the scenes to help resolve differences.

The informal settlement of this appeal allowed MMS to collect royalties on retrograde condensate as a liquid rather than a gas. The MMS gains an increase of 1½ to 2 times the value through royalties paid as a liquid rather than as a gas for the retrograde condensate allocation systems. The settlement of these appeals opened the path to changing the allocation on more systems, thereby enabling MMS to receive more royalties and accomplish proper allocation.

The SPL Project Management Group, particularly Mr. Brown and Mr. Wild, is very active in the allocation of royalty oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico Region. They perform a service that benefits the mission of both the OMM and the MRM programs.

For these reasons, Mr. Brown and Mr. Wild are most deserving of the MMS Corporate Leadership Award.