Shelf

A vote on whether to remove the congressional ban on oil and natural gas leasing on most of the federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) was placed in limbo Thursday after a House Appropriations Committee abruptly adjourned a markup when Republicans tried to force the panel to take up the Interior Department spending bill that addresses the offshore ban, CQ Today reported.

With public sentiment shifting in favor of repealing the ban on drilling in the federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) to deal with record gasoline prices and the highest sustained natural gas prices ever, the issue took center stage in Washington, DC, and on the campaign trail last week.

A Republican proposal to lift the 27-year-old ban on oil and natural gas leasing on most of the federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) was met with a wall of opposition from Democrats last Wednesday.

A Republican proposal to lift the 27-year-old ban on oil and natural gas leasing on most of the federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) was met with a wall of opposition from Democrats Wednesday.

Legislation proposed by Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) would promote American energy independence by opening both the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and natural gas production and would create tax credits for the development of nuclear plants.

Legislation proposed by Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) would promote American energy independence by opening both the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and natural gas production and would create tax credits for the development of nuclear plants.

The Department of Interior’s (DOI) Minerals Management Service (MMS) is readying its first federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and natural gas lease sale offshore Alaska in 17 years, but the sale could pit the MMS against another DOI agency that is considering whether to list the polar bear as a threatened or endangered species.

The Department of Interior’s (DOI) Minerals Management Service (MMS) is readying its first federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and natural gas lease sale offshore Alaska in 17 years, but the sale could pit the MMS against another DOI agency that is considering whether to list the polar bear as a threatened or endangered species.

Lars Herbst has been named regional director of the Minerals Management Service’s (MMS) Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) region. In his new post, Herbst will manage the leasing of OCS lands off of five Gulf Coast states, and will supervise the regulation of operations and protection of the environment on more than 7,000 leases, which involve more than 4,000 platforms. He has been with the MMS since 1983. Herbst is a registered professional engineer in the state of Louisiana and holds a bachelor of science degree in petroleum engineering from Louisiana State University.