On my favorite holiday, I’m sending best wishes to BOE readers of all persuasions. Offshore energy issues can be divisive, even among friends, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share information and opinions.
My wife and I will be spending Thanksgiving with my daughter’s family including our 6 grandchildren, none of whom have expressed interest in being offshore safety regulators (no higher calling 😉).
Belated holiday wishes to our friends in Canada where Thanksgiving is celebrated in October, and cheers to those living where a similar fall holiday is observed.
The press release and full program are linked. It looks like the most recent leaks were accurate. See the maps below with the locations and dates. This will stir the pot!
26 June 2025 – Festive inauguration: A festive ceremony is held in the Port of Amsterdam by Oceans of Energy to celebrate the successful assembly of the world’s first commercial offshore solar farm “Nymphaea Aurora”. The solar farm is 18.5 kilometers off the Dutch coast near Egmond aan Zee, and consists of 1,400 photovoltaic panels mounted on 196 flotation segments. It is larger than a football field with the expectation to scale up.
9 August 2025 – First fire: Soon after installation at sea Nymphaea Aurora is on fire.
5 September 2025 – Second fire: A second fire breaks out in Nymphaea Aurora. The Dutch Coast Guard extinguishes the fire. Both fires were caused by overheating due to strong solar radiation and faulty panel connectors. The developer calls it a kind of technical childhood disease that is typical for new technology. (Seriously?☹)
fire observed from shore; the solar farm is co-located with an existing wind farm
19 September 2025 – Debris from solar farm starts washing up on the beaches
burnt panel that washed up on beach
20 September 2025: Debris is found all over the beaches of Egmond, Bergen and Schoorl, varying from 20 to 30 cm sized pieces to tiny polystyrene foam fragments. Parts of Nymphaea Aurora wash up on Texel, an island further north on the Dutch coast (photo below).
4 October2025: Storm batters the Netherlands with wind speeds between 75 and 90 kilometers per hour hitting Noord-Holland. No news about Nymphaea Aurora.
7 November 2025: No news from the developer, Oceans of Energy, since since 27th June 2025 and no updates on LinekdIn since 21 September 2025. It has been very quiet from ‘The company that brought Offshore Solar in high waves from a (perceived) impossibility to a reality.’ It is probably no longer at sea.
In light of the fantastic Middle East news, planning for the redevelopment of Gaza is underway. The Gaza Marine Gas Field should be a high priority given the power generation and revenue potential.
The field, which was discovered in 1999 by British Gas (now part of Shell), is located approximately 30-36 km off the coast of Gaza in the eastern Mediterranean and has estimated natural gas reserves of ~ 1 Tcf.
Who should be licensed to develop the field? In June 2023, there was a proposed agreement between the Palestinian Authority and an Egyptian consortium led by state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS). A resurrection of this arrangement may align with Palestinian interests. EGAS has experience in Mediterranean gas projects including the giant Zohr field (see map below).
Other candidates for developing the Gaza Marine field (pure speculation):
Chevron would be a logical choice given their extensive eastern Mediterranean experience as a result of their acquisition of Noble Energy. However, there might be concerns about undue US and Israeli control of this important resource.
Regional giants like Saudi Aramco, Qatar Energy, and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) would be good candidates.
Another interesting possibility might be Equinor, which is 2/3 owned by the Norwegian govt. Equinor seems to sometimes make socially desirable investments that are less profitable.
Some combination of the above companies might also be a possibility. In any event, it’s critical to manage this resource in a manner that best benefits the recovery effort.
Congratulations to Dr. Ned Mamula on his confirmation as Director of the US Geological Survey. I had the pleasure of working with Ned when he was a young geologist in the Conservation Division (CD) of USGS. At the time, CD was the safety and environmental regulator for OCS oil and gas operations. Ned is a great guy and a dedicated geologist!
Ned’s statement at his confirmation hearing is attached. “Map Baby Map!”
Quaise Energy: “Millimeter wave drilling is the most transformational drilling technology since the drill bit was introduced to the world in the 1930s. It’s the key that finally unlocks superhot geothermal energy worldwide, and we’re already getting started on our first power project in the western United States.
Millimeter wave drilling is what makes geothermal universal, not niche. It’s far more than just a new tool. It’s as consequential as peering into the atom, going into orbit, and mapping the human genome. And, it can open the door to terawatts of geothermal power for the entire world.“
John Borne was an exceptional engineer and offshore safety leader in our OCS oil and gas program during the US Geological Survey (Conservation Div.) and Minerals Management Service (MMS) eras.
Some thoughts on John’s leadership followed by tributes from distinguished colleagues:
John’s Houma District office was a model for the rest of the OCS program. Houma was the program’s busiest district in terms of operational activity, and the most effective in meeting permitting, inspection, and investigation targets.
The few serious accidents that occurred in the District were carefully investigated and the findings were shared in a timely manner with the goal of preventing their recurrence. If John signed a report, you knew it was complete and accurate.
John was knowledgeable about the complex offshore oil and gas operations he regulated, and was an outstanding teacher and mentor.
John treated all companies the same from the super-majors to the small independents – no biases, no favors, and no ethics issues.
John expected companies to fully comply with the regulations. Any departures had to be clearly in the best interest of safety and the environment.
From Ken Arnold (ex-Shell engr, Paragon Engineering President, NAE): As part of the Shell Training program in 1964 I was assigned to trail John in East Bay for a week. One night I was talking to another trainee on a logging barge tied up to a posted barge rig in SP Blk 24. John was also on the barge. Without warning the barge started pulling away from the rig. The three of us jumped from the barge to the rig but I slipped and fell in the canal. I don’t think I was in the water long enough to get wet, when John and a rig hand fished me out. Unfortunately my glasses fell off and were in the mud. John got a scissors device and retrieved my glasses in a matter of minutes.
I greatly appreciated my week with John. What he took the time to teach me about field work was critical to my subsequent successful career in Shell and in Paragon. He was a gentleman and a first class teacher. I was lucky to have known him.
Jodie Connor (founder and retired President of J. Connor Consulting): John was an excellent representative of the MMS, always fair in his decision-making and approvals. I endearingly called him “By the Book Borne”. He enforced the regulations as they were written, which was fair to all operators. Always kind and willing to explain MMS policies.
Lars Herbst (retired MMS/BSEE Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico): What a legend at MMS! A testament to his leadership are the number of Regional leaders that came out of Houma District. Just to name a few: Mike Saucier, Bryan Domangue, Troy Trosclair, and even Jack Leezy! That work ethic that John instilled has continued even to the next generation of leadership! I was fortunate that John let me act as Drilling Engineer when Saucier went hunting each December. My career at MMS was never the same after that opportunity!
Jack Leezy: (President, Avenger Consulting, retired MMS): John served in the Marine Corp during the Korean war. Upon discharge from the Marine Corp John attend the University of Lafayette and earned a BS degree in Petroleum Engineering. John started his oilfield career when he went to work for Shell Oil in 1960 until 1970 as a Petroleum Engineer.
John joined U.S.G.S. In 1970 as a Petroleum Engineer in the Lafayette District. John accepted a promotion in 1972 in the Regional office and was selected as the first District Supervisor in the newly formed Houma District office in October1974. John remained as the District Supervisor until his retirement in 1995. John was instrumental in developing Bureau policies of which some are still in place as of today. John served on countless MMS and industry committees alike during his career. John was looked upon as professional and highly respected by MMS and industry alike. He performed is duties in such a way that even if you may not have liked his decision, you respected it. John’s demeanor never changed as he never lost his composure and worked evenly though all the trials and tribulations during his career at MMS. John even won MMS’s Engineer of the Year award. I owe a lot to John in helping me form my career at MMS as I tried to handle my supervisory duties in the same manner in which John did.
RIP John. You were a superstar! As an engineer, regulator, leader, teacher, and colleague, no one did it better!
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 