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The 2025 Gulf of America Safety Compliance Leaders are ranked below according to the number of incidents of non-compliance (INCs) per facility inspection. To be ranked, a company must:
- operate at least 2 production platforms
- have drilled at least 2 wells during the year
- average <1 INC for every 5 facility inspections (0.20 INCs/facility inspection). This is a higher standard (fewer INCs) than in previous years.
- average <1 INC for every 10 inspections (0.1 INCs/inspection). Note that each facility inspection may include multiple types of inspections (e.g. production, pipeline, pollution, Coast Guard, site security, etc). In 2025, there were on average 3.2 inspections for every facility inspection.
| operator | W | CSI | FSI | total INCs | facility insp | INCs/ fac insp | insp | INCs/ insp |
| Shell | 3 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 231 | 0.05 | 557 | 0.02 |
| Chevron | 10 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 260 | 0.07 | 772 | 0.02 |
| Oxy | 2 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 133 | 0.07 | 325 | 0.03 |
| BP | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 122 | 0.08 | 304 | 0.03 |
| Murphy | 6 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 70 | 0.11 | 177 | 0.05 |
| Cantium | 5 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 121 | 0.13 | 488 | 0.03 |
| Gulf-wide 2025 | 815 | 445 | 84 | 1344 | 3179 | 0.42 | 10218 | 0.13 |
| Gulf-wide 2024 | 957 | 398 | 109 | 1464 | 3133 | 0.47 | 10664 | 0.14 |
Criteria: This ranking is based solely on BSEE’s published compliance data. The absence of timely public information on safety incidents (e.g. injuries, fires, pollution, gas releases, property damage) precludes inclusion of these data. Although Panel Investigations are conducted for fatalities, serious injuries, and significant pollution events, the last panel report was for an incident on 3/25/2022, and no information is available for any ongoing investigations. BSEE District offices investigate the more significant incidents that don’t qualify for panel investigations. These District Investigation reports are more timely, but some are not issued within 90 days of the incident. The District reports will be reviewed later in the year. Note that there were no occupational fatalities in 2025.
Observations:
- The overall inspection and INC results for 2025 were similar to those for 2024.
- The top companies performed better in 2025 than in 2024. In 2024, only 2 companies had INC/facility inspection ratios of <0.10 and only 3 had ratios <0.15. In 2025, all 6 of the performance leaders had ratios <0.15.
- All 6 of these top companies were also on the 2024 top performers list.
- Shell’s total INCs and INCs/facility inspection decreased by 73% and 78% respectively vs. 2024
- Cantium, which operates 85 shallow water platforms, has demonstrated that a shelf operator can be an outstanding safety performer. Cantium’s total INCs and INCs/facility inspection decreased by 50% vs. 2024
- Should fewer inspections be conducted at facilities that have such low INC rates? On the one hand, fewer inspections would reduce regulatory costs and transportation risks. On the other hand, there are benefits from BSEE inspection visits besides compliance enforcement. These include direct communication with offshore workers (including contractors) regarding regulatory policies and safety practices, witnessing safety tests, evaluating new technology, and assessing management system implementation and corporate culture at the facility level.
- Absent specific details on the violations, no attempt was made to weight the INCs. Although shut-in INCs are generally considered to be more significant than warnings, that is not always the case. For example, a component shut-in INC for a safety device that is marginally out of tolerance and is corrected on the spot may be less serious than a warning that is indicative of structural deterioration, poor maintenance, or organizational shortcomings.
Not meeting one of the activity level requirements, but nonetheless noteworthy, were the compliance records of LLOG and BOE Exploration & Production (younger than and unrelated to the BOE blog 😀). See their impressive results below:
| operator | W | CSI | FSI | total INCs | facility insp | INCs/ fac insp | insp | INCs/ insp |
| BOE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 0.03 | 78 | 0.01 |
| LLOG | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 0.10 | 78 | 0.04 |
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, Regulation | Tagged 2025 safety compliance, AnadarkoOxy, BOE Exploration, bp, Cantium, Chevron, Gulf of America, INCs, LLOG, Murphy Oil, Shell, top performers, violations | Leave a Comment »
Shell topped the list followed by Chevron, Oxy/Anadarko, bp, Murphy, and Cantium.
Details and observations will be posted tomorrow.
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, Regulation | Tagged 2025 safety compliance, AnadarkoOxy, bp, Cantium, Chevron, Gulf of America, INCs, Murphy Oil, Shell, top performers | Leave a Comment »
Pasted below are excerpts from Sable’s Prospectus Supplement. Is Sable serious about pursuing a Santa Ynez Unit strategy that employs a production and treatment vessel 3.5 miles from shore ala the development option that was reluctantly approved by the Federal govt in 1974, two decades before the onshore infrastructure was in place?
The OS&T option is inferior to onshore treatment and pipeline transportation in every way – spill risks, air emissions, economics, ultimate oil recovery, transportation to market, natural gas utilization, and public benefit.
This blogger supports a resumption of Santa Ynez Unit production. However, the only responsible path forward is to do the right thing and continue to pursue the onshore pipeline approvals administratively and legally. It is far better to defend a good project than a contrived workaround.
When will BOEM share Sable’s proposed “update”(actually a massive revision) to the SYU Development and Production Plan, as they are obligated to do?
Evaluation of the revised plan will require a detailed environmental review.
Operationally, BSEE and the Coast Guard will need to carefully consider vessel integrity, treatment capabilities, mooring and offloading plans, transportation schemes, gas utilization/injection, and many other technical details.
Meanwhile, does Exxon, the previous (and future?) owner, remain on the sidelines when the OS&T permitting circus begins in earnest?
Excerpts from Sable’s Prospectus Supplement (emphasis added):
On September 29, 2025, Sable announced that it is evaluating and pursuing an offshore storage and treating vessel (“OS&T”) strategy to provide access to domestic and global markets via shuttle tankers for federal crude oil produced from the SYU in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Area (the “OS&T Strategy”). Continued delays related to the Santa Ynez Pipeline System have prompted Sable to evaluate and pursue the OS&T Strategy. On October 9, 2025, Sable submitted a Development and Production Plan update for the SYU to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”). Prior to implementation of the OS&T Strategy, regulatory authorizations are required, including clearance from BOEM.
Preparations for the OS&T Strategy include the acquisition of a suitable OS&T vessel, certain refitting and upgrades to the vessel and the SYU equipment, transportation of the vessel to SYU, and related installation. In connection with implementation of the OS&T Strategy, the Company expects to opportunistically acquire an existing OS&T in the first quarter of 2026, with delivery of the vessel to SYU expected in the third quarter of 2026. Following the acquisition of the vessel, and vessel and platform upgrades and installation, Sable would expect to begin sales from all SYU platforms in the fourth quarter of 2026, with expected comprehensive oil production rates of over 50,000 barrels of oil per day, utilizing the OS&T within the SYU federal leases, provided the Company receives regulatory clearances. Sable estimates that the total capital required to execute the OS&T Strategy is approximately $475.0 million. The Company has already incurred a small portion of such capital expenditures, with the vast majority of such capital expenditures remaining, provided the Company receives regulatory clearances. See “Risk Factors—Risks Associated with Our Operations—In order to commence operations pursuant to an OS&T offtake strategy, we will require clearances and permitting, including from BOEM.”
Posted in California, energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, Regulation | Tagged BOEM, Exxon, Sable Offshore, Santa Ynez Unit, OS&T, offshore storage and treatment | 1 Comment »
“We have not been finding enough new fields.” That’s William DeMis, president of Richelle Court, LLC, who said that, in addition to not finding enough, we keep erecting new ways to export what we’re not finding.
The way, he said, to avert the coming shortage is for people to find new sources of gas outside of Haynesville field, which for years, considering its proximity to the Gulf Coast, and the petrochemical plants of Southwest Louisiana, as well as pipelines, made it a swing producer for natural gas.
“But I can tell you from bitter experience over the last three years that finding people to fund greenfield exploration is darn near impossible. There is scant capital to drill natural gas wildcats in the U.S.” said DeMis.
Reiterating that it’s time for another look at ultradeep shelf gas in the Gulf. Should BOEM consider royalty incentives?
Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, natural gas, Offshore Energy - General | Tagged AAPG, BOEM, gas crunch, Gulf of America, Haynesville, ultradeep shelf gas, William DeMis | Leave a Comment »
October 2025 Gulf of America oil production was the 2nd highest in history. As a result, the November data are much anticipated. Those data have been delayed from the scheduled date of 1/29/2026 until 2/6/2026. See the EIA advisory below
Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) data for November 2025 are scheduled for release on Friday, February 6, 2026.
The U.S. Census Bureau will release trade data (both imports and exports) for November 2025 on Thursday, January 29, 2026. As a result, we will delay release of PSM data for November 2025 from the original scheduled release date of January 30, 2026, until Friday, February 6, 2026. The delayed PSM release will allow us time to incorporate export data for November 2025.
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, Uncategorized | Tagged EIA data delayed, Gulf of America, November2025, oil production | Leave a Comment »
Is this a new low for the UK’s anti-oil mob? See this BBC article shared by JL Daeschler.
Campaigners against Rosebank, Britain’s largest untapped oil field, have told the UK government that approving the project would risk breaching international law.
They say profits would flow in part to the Israeli oil and gas company Delek Group, which the UN human rights commissioner accuses of “supporting the maintenance and existence” of illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Note that Delek is not a Rosebank partner, but is the majority shareholder in a 20% Rosebank partner, Ithaca Energy. The 80% owner and project operator is Equinor, which is 2/3 owned by the Norwegian govt. Apparently, neither Equinor nor Norway are troubled by Ithaca Energy’s 20% Rosebank share. (There is no indication that the BBC contacted Equinor prior to publishing the article.)
The most sensible quote in the article is from the govt of Israel which dismissed the accusations as “absurd and distorted.”
Which do left-wing activists hate more – oil or Israel?
Posted in energy policy, UK | Tagged anti-oil activism, Delek, Equinor, Ithaca Energy, Rosebank field | Leave a Comment »
“The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is initiating the first steps that could potentially lead to a lease sale for minerals on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore Alaska by publishing this request for information and interest (RFI).”
The Federal Register Notice is attached.
Posted in Alaska, deep sea mining, energy policy | Tagged Alaska, BOEM, lease sale, offshore minerals, Outer Continental Shelf | Leave a Comment »
Next week, BOE will rank the 2025 Gulf of America Safety Compliance Leaders according to the number of incidents of non-compliance (INCs) per facility inspection.
How is your company’s safety culture?
Posted in accidents, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, Regulation | Tagged 2025 safety compliance, fewest violations, Gulf of America, safety culture, safety leaders, top operating companies | Leave a Comment »
Excerpt from the Quaise video:
As we descend into hotter, deeper tiers, the process shifts from pressure-driven to density-driven stimulation. With larger density contrasts between the injected water and pore fluid in the rocks, density takes the lead. The deeper we go, fracturing becomes easier, not more challenging, and reduces the need for massive pumping fleets.
It all results in a superhot subterranean network sweeping away 10-100x more heat than all other forms of geothermal. We are sending water coursing through engineered permeability, harnessing Earth’s most abundant energy and powering the next century of global innovation.
Supercritical fluid dynamics are thus the key to superhot geothermal completions. Water above and 22 mega pascals (3191 psi) enters a supercritical state with liquid-like density and gas-like viscosity. The water that is injected into a hot, supercritical reservoir is thus much denser than the surrounding superhot fluid. The injection of relatively cool water into superhot rock creates and widens fractures increasing permeability without increased pumping pressure.
Posted in energy | Tagged fractures, permeability, Quaise Energy, super hot geothermal, supercritical water, well completions | Leave a Comment »
John Smith informs us that the California State Lands Commission (CSLC) is moving forward with the environmental review for decommissioning Platform Holly. This would be the first platform decommissioning project offshore California since the 1996 Chevron 4-H project which involved the removal of Platforms Hope, Heidi, Hilda and Hazel in state waters.
John comments that the project description, which calls for removing the jacket, seep tents and pipelines, and partially removing the upper 5 feet of the 23-foot-high shell mounds, does not make much sense given the abundant fish and invertebrates that reside on or around the platform jacket. Cutting the jacket off 85 feet below the water line and converting the remaining structure to an artificial reef would make more sense and should have been designated the proposed project.
The plan is to send the materials to the Ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles or Hueneme or possibly Ensenada, Mexico. The project involves complex logistics and is going to be a very long (3 years), ambitious and expensive project that will likely set a precedent for future platform decommissioning projects.
It’s noteworthy that Platform Holly’s oil and gas production effectively reduced natural seepage and methane emissions from shallow formations beneath the Channel. Holly was thus a “net negative” hydrocarbon polluter.
According to their agreement with the CSLC, Exxon is responsible for the decommissioning costs.
Posted in California, decommissioning, rigs-to-reefs | Tagged California State Lands Commission, decommissioning, Exxon, full removal, natural seeps, negative polluter, Platform Holly, Santa Barbara Channel, underwater oasis | Leave a Comment »
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 