Enforcement

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) is soliciting comments on an environmental assessment (EA) of the first supplemental exploration plan (EP) in the deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico.

Apache Corp. said the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement approved a permit to enable the company to resume plugging and abandonment operations at East Cameron Block 278 Platform B in the Gulf of Mexico. Operations were suspended when a leak was discovered Sunday morning by an Apache crew, which saw bubbling near the platform (see Daily GPI, Jan. 20). Air monitoring equipment found no traces of gas emissions on the facility and power had been restored to assure safe operations, the company said Thursday. The depleted gas field is in water depths of 168 feet about 95 miles south of Cameron, LA. Apache acquired East Cameron 278 in 2003. The development of the wells and installation of the platform occurred in the 1990s by prior owner-operators. Apache holds a 50% working interest, with Stone Energy holding the remaining working interest.

Apache Corp. said the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement approved a permit to enable the company to resume plugging and abandonment operations at East Cameron Block 278 Platform B in the Gulf of Mexico. Operations were suspended when a leak was discovered about Sunday morning by an Apache crew, which saw bubbling near the platform. Air monitoring equipment found no traces of gas emissions on the facility, and power had been restored to assure safe operations, the company said Thursday. The depleted gas field is in water depths of 168 feet about 95 miles south of Cameron, LA.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) last Monday notified 13 major and independent producers whose deepwater drilling activities were suspended by last year’s deepwater drilling moratorium that they may be able to resume previously approved activities without having to file revised exploration and development plans for supplemental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) Monday notified 13 major and independent producers whose deepwater drilling activities were suspended by last year’s deepwater drilling moratorium that they may be able to resume previously approved activities without the need to submit revised exploration and development plans for supplemental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) last week issued additional guidance to clear up the confusion about the new regulations that were imposed on producers following the Macondo well blowout and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) earlier this year (see NGI, April 26).

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) Monday issued additional guidance to address questions posed by the new regulations that were imposed on producers following the Macondo well blowout and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) earlier this year (see Daily GPI, April 22).

Since the lifting of a moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) almost two months ago, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) has been working diligently to review applications for permits to drill in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, according to BOEM Director Michael Bromwich.

Since the lifting of a moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) almost two months ago, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) has been working diligently to review applications for permits to drill in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, according to BOEM Director Michael Bromwich.