Minerals Management Service & Arctic Gas Issues
Telus Convention Centre, Calgary
Notes:
- I would like to thank the Canadian Institute for inviting me to make this presentation. I believe that understanding the contribution that Arctic natural gas can have for North America is an important stepping stone to meeting the anticipated increased demand for this important fuel.
- Natural gas resources—including those in the Arctic—are a very significant and visible part of the Minerals Management Service strategy for managing U.S. energy resources.
- Many of you may not be familiar with the Minerals Management Service, also known as MMS. We are the organization in the U.S. Department of the Interior responsible for managing the mineral resources on U.S. offshore lands under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. Our jurisdiction covers nearly 1.7 billion acres of the submerged lands of the federal outer continental shelf, or OCS.
- Along with managing the leasing of OCS mineral resources, our responsibilities include regulating offshore operations of the oil and gas industry, helping to ensure worker safety and protecting the environment.
- We are also responsible for collecting the revenues that are generated by leasing the rights to produce the minerals owned by the United States and individual Indians and Tribes.
- Since MMS was formed in 1982, we have collected approximately $110 billion that has been distributed to States, Indians, and the General Treasury.