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Archive for the ‘Gulf of Mexico’ Category

Endangered Whale sighting in the Gulf of Mexico ðŸ˜‰

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , on November 17, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Whale FPU; Source: Boskalis

Lars Herbst noted another endangered whale sighting by the US Coast Guard. Unlike their erroneous Rice’s whale report in September (still waiting for their mea culpa), the Coast Guard has gotten this one right. The 25,000 ton Whale is pictured above.

Whale’s species is indeed endangered with the most serious threats coming from a faraway place on the Potomac River. The “newborn” Whale is one of only 15 of its species in the Gulf of Mexico. The entire platformus deepis genus numbers only 59, but their importance to society is enormous (read more).

Perhaps the wise people who control our offshore lands will do more to encourage and support these floating behemoths. Unfortunately, their 5 year management plan is not encouraging in that regard.

More about Whale

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Sale 261 will be held on Dec. 20th, one day ahead of the deadline!

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , on November 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »

As a result of the order issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Nov. 14, 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has scheduled Lease Sale 261 for Dec. 20, 2023.

The Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale was originally scheduled for Sept. 27, 2023, and later scheduled for Nov. 8, 2023, in response to judicial orders.

Pursuant to direction from the Court, BOEM will include lease blocks that were previously excluded due to concerns regarding potential impacts to the Rice’s whale population in the Gulf of Mexico. BOEM will also remove portions of a related stipulation meant to address those potential impacts from the lease terms for any leases that may result from Lease Sale 261.

A Final Notice of Sale will be published in the Federal Register on Nov. 20, 2023, and will be available for public inspection on Nov. 17, 2023. 

BOEM will live stream the opening of bids at 9 am CDT on Dec. 20, 2023. All terms and conditions of the lease sale are listed in the FNOS. For more information, go to: www.boem.gov/sale-261.  

BOEM

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BSEE issues guidance about fundamental helicopter loading procedures

Posted in accidents, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, Regulation, tagged , , , on November 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »

BSEE shouldn’t have to issue guidance about helicopter loading precautions that every worker and visitor should be taught before going offshore, but apparently they do. See the safety alert that is attached below.

In this alarming near-miss event, a helicopter was stationed on the facility’s helideck and a crew member approached the aircraft from the rear, entering the rotor arc area before the rotor blades had come to a complete stop. This unsafe action posed a significant threat to the safety of all personnel involved. An offshore helideck assistant repeated the unsafe behavior by approaching the helicopter from the rear, entering the vicinity of the tail rotor, and positioning themselves within the main rotor’s danger zone immediately after the helicopter had landed on the facility’s helideck.

Meanwhile, we are still awaiting the final report on the tragic crash at the West Delta 109 A platform last December. Why is this taking so long?

bsee-safety-alert-474-safely-approaching-a-helicopter-on-offshore-helidecksDownload

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Per the 5th Circuit ruling, Sale 261 must be held by Thursday, December 21, 2023 (37 days from the date of their order)

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , on November 15, 2023| 2 Comments »

The sale could be held sooner. However, since BOEM asked for 37 days, I’m assuming that the sale will be on December 21.

In the 70 year history of the oil and gas leasing program, this will be the sale date that is closest to Christmas. Yet another major milestone for the offshore program! 😀

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5th Circuit rules against intervenors. Lease Sale 261 must be held in 37 days. Deleted tracts must be included. Rice’s whale stipulations must be deleted.

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , , on November 15, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Order is pasted below and attached.

IT IS ORDERED and ADJUDGED that the Intervenors’ appeal is DISMISSED. As for BOEM’s limited appeal as to the timing of the sale, we hereby AMEND the district court’s preliminary injunction only to the extent that the deadline for conducting Lease Sale 261 shall now be thirtyseven days from the date of the issuance of the mandate in this appeal.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each party bear its own costs on appeal.

gov.uscourts.lawd_.201143.98.0Download

Background information and related posts.

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5th Circuit hears arguments on Lease Sale 261 appeal

Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , on November 13, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Today, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the appeal of the District Court’s injunction against the Rice’s whale tract deletions and operating stipulations for Sale 261.

If you want to listen to a recording of these arguments, you can do so at this link. The hearing was brief – only about 45 minutes.

Judging by the comments, it sounds like the Court will reach a decision soon. The Department of the Interior is asking for 37 days after the ruling to organize and hold the sales. The industry attorney seemed comfortable with that, so the sale should be prior to Christmas.

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Under the circumstances, delaying Lease Sale 261 was the only reasonable alternative

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , on November 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

In light of the 5th Circuit’s order, holding the sale on 11/8 would have been messy for all sides in the Rice’s whale dispute. Seemingly, the only option for holding the sale prior to the Court’s decision on the injunction would have been the following:

  • Allow, but not accept, bids on the tracts in the Rice’s whale expanded area.
  • Add the Rice’s whale stipulations while providing notice that they might subsequently be removed.

Because the RIce’s whale stipulations would affect the value of all deepwater leases, bidders would be rolling the dice on the outcome of the case.

Also, absent legislative action, there will be no lease sale in 2024. This adds to the importance of Sale 261, and making sure the terms are understood.

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Official announcement on the postponement of oil and gas lease sale 261, Gulf of Mexico

Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , on November 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »

As a result of the order issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on October 26, 2023, in Louisiana v. Haaland (Case No. 23-30666), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is postponing Lease Sale 261, which was originally scheduled for September 27, 2023, and later scheduled for November 8, 2023, in response to judicial orders. Until the court rules, BOEM cannot be certain of which areas or stipulations may be included in the sale notice.

Potential bidders in Lease Sale 261 should not submit bids until BOEM provides additional instruction. BOEM will hold any bids already received and will hold the sale after it receives further direction from the Court of Appeals.

BOEM

previous posts on sale 261

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August Gulf of Mexico oil production was stable at 1.9 million bopd

Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , on November 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »

No tropical storm production shut-ins in 2023 YTD.

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IRF Country Performance Data published for 2021 and 2022

Posted in accidents, Gulf of Mexico, IRF, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , on October 31, 2023| Leave a Comment »

International Regulators’ Forum Country Performance data for 2021 and 2022 have now been posted. Unfortunately, the US fatalities data for 2022 are incorrect. Four workers died as a result of a helicopter crash at the West Delta 106 A platform on 12/29/2022. However, the IRF summary table indicates only one fatality for the year.

Per the IRF guidelines, “Helicopter operations at or near an Offshore Installation” are supposed to be counted. The fatal 12/29/2022 incident clearly happened at the platform’s helideck (photos below).

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