FOR RELEASE: January 28, 1997
CONTACT: Tom DeRocco, (202) 208-3983

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) has issued a final rule governing requirements for preventing hydrogen sulfide releases, detecting and monitoring hydrogen sulfide and sulphur dioxide, protecting personnel, providing warning systems, and establishing requirements for hydrogen sulfide flaring.

The rule appears in the January 27 Federal Register, and goes into effect March 28, 1997.

"There are significant safety and environmental considerations in this rule," said

MMS Director Cynthia Quarterman. "Both hydrogen sulfide and sulphur dioxide are toxic and hazardous. This rule requires monitoring and detection of sulphur dioxide, provides MMS district supervisors with the authority to require mud sensors to detect hydrogen sulfide, and establishes requirements that will restrict the flaring of hydrogen sulfide. In addition, the rule reduces administrative requirements and the frequency of training courses, and it simplifies the alarm process."

MMS is the federal agency that manages the Nation's natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, and collects, accounts for, and disburses about $4 billion yearly in revenues from offshore federal mineral leases and from onshore mineral leases on federal and Indian lands.