DOI releases plan to unleash America’s offshore oil, gas potential
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has unveiled the next step for responsibly developing the National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2019-2024, which proposes to make over 90 percent of the total OCS acreage and more than 98 percent of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in federal offshore areas available to consider for future exploration and development. By comparison, the current program puts 94 percent of the OCS off limits. In addition, the program proposes the largest number of lease sales in U.S. history.
The Draft Proposed Program includes 47 potential lease sales in 25 of the 26 planning areas: 19 sales off the coast of Alaska, seven in the Pacific Region, 12 in the Gulf of Mexico and nine in the Atlantic Region.
For more information, visit www.Doi.gov or call (202) 208-3100.
DOI survey shows increase in Alaskan recoverable energy resources
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has released an updated resource assessment for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, the Western Beaufort Sea, adjacent state and native lands, and state waters , which estimates the mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources both on and offshore to include 17.6 billion barrels of oil and more than 50 trillion cubic feet of gas.
The assessment was conducted by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Offshore, BOEM’s revised estimates of mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources in the Beaufort Sea Outer Continental Shelf Planning Area are 8.9 billion barrels of oil and 27.7 trillion cubic feet of gas. BOEM’s updated assessment resulted in a net increase of nearly 700 million barrels of oil equivalent over BOEM’s 2016 Beaufort Sea Planning Area assessment.
For more information, visit www.Doi.gov or call (202) 208-3100.
LLOG Exploration begins drilling in deepwater Gulf of Mexico
LLOG Exploration Co. LLC’s development drilling operations have begun at the Buckskin project in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Buckskin is located on Keathley Canyon blocks 785, 828, 829, 830, 871 and 872 in approximately 6,800 feet of water and was delineated by multiple prior wells. The initial phase of this large-scale, deepwater project will consist of two development wells in Keathley Canyon 829 and a 6-mile subsea tie-back to the Lucius platform at Keathley Canyon 875.
Drilling and completion of the initial two wells, which will be drilled to approximately 29,000 feet, will be followed by the installation of subsea facilities. First production from the field is expected in mid-2019. In order to fully develop the field, estimated to contain nearly 5 billion barrels of oil in place, additional wells and subsea facilities will be required after the initial phase.
For more information, visit www.Llog.com or call (985) 801-4300.
BSEE proposes revisions to Production Safety Systems regulations
In response to a presidential order to reduce undue burden on industry, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has completed a comprehensive review of the Production Safety Systems regulations.
The Production Safety Systems Rule addresses safety and pollution prevention equipment, subsea safety devices and safety device testing for the production of oil and gas resources on the U.S. outer continental shelf. The proposed amendments address provisions of the regulations that create an unnecessary burden on operators, while providing the same level of safety and protection for the environment. BSEE’s initial regulatory impact analysis estimates the proposed amendments would reduce industry compliance burdens by at least $228 million over 10 years.
For more information, visit www.Bsee.gov or call (202) 208-6184.