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 OCS Scientific Committee
1999 Meeting Summary - Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Session
Discussion Leader - Dr. Jim Kendall, Chief, Environmental Studies Section, Gulf of
Mexico
Background: The oil and gas industry is showing great interest in the deepwater
portions of the Gulf of Mexico. Advancements in deepwater drilling technology over the
past few years have enabled the industry to move out into water depths exceeding 7,500
feet, something unheard of only 5-6 years ago. As a result, the number and percentage of
deepwater tracts leased in the Gulf of Mexico has grown exponentially during the past few
years and there are now more than 1,800 existing oil and gas leases in water depths of
1,000 ft or greater in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico planning areas. This new
frontier brings with it new issues that the MMS must consider in its ocean resources
management role.
Mary Boatman addressing
methane hydrates. |
Debbie Cranswick
reporting on FPSO's. |
The MMS, along with Louisiana State University, sponsored a Deepwater Drilling Workshop
on July 30, 1997. The purpose of this workshop was to promote dialogue among academic,
scientists, industry, and MMS representatives concerning the potential development of new
technology for drilling in ultra-deep water. This workshop focused both on defining the
environmental and socioeconomic problems that will be unique to deepwater operations and
on potential problem solutions.
The OCS SC Deepwater Subcommittee convened October 1-2, 1997, in New Orleans,
Louisiana. The purpose of this meeting was to initiate in-depth subcommittee activity on
providing advice and guidance to MMS on deepwater information needs using the recent
deepwater workshop sponsored by MMS and LSU. Focus was on identifying issues and
information needs with direct reference/application to MMS decision making and management
responsibilities.
The arrival of the deepwater era in the Gulf of Mexico brings new, and often unique,
environmental, socioeconomic and technological concerns and issues to all the
stakeholders, and especially to MMS in terms of its management responsibility and decision
making information requirements.
For more information, contact Julie Reynolds.
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