An International Workshop on Offshore Lease Abandonment and Platform Disposal: Technology, Regulation and Environmental Effects was held in New Orleans from April 15 to April 17, 1996. Minerals Management Service and the Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana State University were the sponsors joined by cosponsors: The American Petroleum Institute and The Central Gulf Region Petroleum Technology Transfer Council.

There are over 4,000 offshore platforms and 22,000 miles of pipelines located on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the United States. Most of these are located in the Gulf of Mexico. About 7,000 platforms are in place worldwide. Approximately a quarter of the platforms in the U.S. are more than 25 years old and in sight of their end of service. Between 100 to 150 platforms have been removed from the OCS each year for the past six or seven years. That trend is projected to continue for the foreseeable future.

As increasing numbers of platforms and pipelines are decommissioned and disposed of, it is important that the relevant techniques, policies and regulations be discussed and evaluated.

The goal of the workshop is to facilitate and document this discussion in an open, objective and inclusive way. Since U.S. practices and policies provide precedents for other countries, international participation was encouraged.

Workshop registrants participated in any of six working groups:

	Abandoning Wells
	Abandoning Pipelines
	Removing Facilities
	Site Clearance
	Habitat Planning, Maintenance and Management
	Regulation and Policy

Each group focused on an issues paper prepared and distributed in advance, outlining specifically and objectively the issues inherent in an aspect of offshore lease abandonment and platform disposal.

The revised papers and highlights of the response to them during the workshop have been published in a summary proceedings volume. The workshop proceedings volume will help the Minerals Management Service, and others, design or evaluate policies to address lease abandonment and platform disposal issues.

Privacy | Disclaimers | Accessibility | Topic Index | FOIA

Last Updated: 05/29/2008, 12:46 PM