Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Robert August Nelson 47921313

Robert “Bobby” Nelson, a beloved father and husband, and a highly respected engineer, died suddenly last Saturday.

Jason Mathews, a Supervisory Petroleum Engineer with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, had this to say about his admired colleague:

A legacy is not just what you leave for others; it’s the impact of your presence, the influence of your actions, and the memories you create.

Bobby was an exceptional engineer, father, husband and friend who had a lasting impact on many of us. In fact, I would argue Bobby was one of the most impactful engineers in my tenure on developing and transforming younger engineers on how to think critically on complex offshore systems and processes.

Bobby’s legacy in my industry will push on for many years, and we are forever grateful for the time we had with him.”

More from his colleagues:

Bobby dedicated much of his professional life to BSEE, where he served as a Technical Advisor since January 2020, and for the previous seven years as Well Operations Section Chief and Drilling Engineer in the Houma District.

His expertise in well control, drilling engineering, and offshore regulatory compliance was invaluable. He contributed significantly as a subject matter expert and assistant content writer for the BSEE Well Control Rule Revision Team, helping shape post-Deepwater Horizon reforms, and provided technical insights on critical projects ranging from tropical cyclone risk assessments for floating rigs to hydrate pressure coring expeditions and incident investigations.  

Bobby’s commitment to safety and environmental stewardship on the Gulf of America’s Outer Continental Shelf left a lasting impact on his colleagues and the industry.

He is survived by his loving wife, Amber, whom he met at BSEE, and their young daughter. In this time of grief, please keep Bobby’s family in your thoughts and prayers.

Obituary

Read Full Post »

Norway has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to worker accommodations. Gulfaks B (pictured) is a concrete, gravity-based platform installed nearly 40 years ago, but the living quarters and amenities are updated and first class. A Gulfaks B worker provides a tour in the video embedded below.

Read Full Post »

For friends of Glenn Shackell and others interested in the plight of helicopter door gunners in Vietnam, Andrew Konczvald shared an informative, but rather horrific, video that I have embedded at the end of Glenn’s tribute.

Read Full Post »

This follows the directive from Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Friday.

However, quoting Nick Welsh of the Santa Barbara Independent: “With Sable Offshore, one thing’s for certain; there’s always more to come.”

Read Full Post »

Photos courtesy of Glenn’s sister and MMS colleague Eddie Lee Lim

On February 27, 2026, we lost a long-time pillar of the OCS safety program, the foremost authority on California offshore oil and gas operations, and a wonderful friend and colleague.

Glenn Shackell grew up in Hawthorne, California, where he lived most of his life. He attended Hawthorne High with the Beach Boys!

Glenn served as a helicopter door gunner during the Vietnam War, an extremely hazardous assignment. According to historical accounts, the average life expectancy of a door gunner was two weeks. Think about that! (See the door gunner video embedded below.)

Glenn discussed his Vietnam experience with Minerals Management Service (MMS) colleague Andrew Konczvald:

Glenn told me about encounters when the bullets were hitting the bottom of his Huey helicopter, and he was sitting on his personal armored jacket as the only protection against the bullets! He told me how he prayed every night and miraculously escaped wounds and returned home safely.

Thankfully, Glenn survived and returned to earn a Petroleum Engineering degree from the Univ. of Southern California. He was a proud USC Trojan.

Glenn had an outstanding career in our Pacific Region office, starting in the early days when the OCS regulatory program was part of the US Geological Survey. He assessed and monitored drilling and production operations in the region, which once produced 120,000 bopd from 23 platforms, and had up to 9 mobile drilling units operating concurrently. Floating drilling operations were pioneered offshore California with the CUSS 1, and production was extended to 1200 feet of water at Platform Harmony.

Glenn had an encyclopedic knowledge of the California offshore sector, and was an expert on the history of the applicable regulations, orders, and standards. We had countless discussions about topics like OCS Order No. 2 (Drilling) and the evolution of API RP 14C (Production Safety Systems).

Glenn served on numerous MMS teams that evaluated the latest technical innovations of the offshore industry, established research priorities, and assessed safety and environmental performance. He was an authority on drilling safety and was called on to evaluate and accredit well control training programs.

Glenn respected everyone, and everyone admired and respected him. He was a man of faith, but didn’t impose his beliefs on others. Fittingly, his favorite Bible passage was John 11:25-26: Jesus tells Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

RIP Glenn, you continue to inspire your friends, and your important contributions to society live on. We love you man!

The HORRORS of Door Gunners in Vietnam:

Read Full Post »

Big move by SOC following the issuance of the DOJ opinion. Justified optimism or irrational exuberance?

Read Full Post »

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.

Read Full Post »

RIP Scott Adams

Sadly, Scott Adams passed today. His satire was greatly appreciated in the corporate world and govt!

In Scott’s honor, I’m re-posting this gem from a 1/14/2022 BOE post. His wisdom lives on!

Read Full Post »

photo courtesy of Lars Herbst

While the blog deals primarily with US events and issues, international viewers are greatly appreciated. According to WordPress, the blog was viewed in over 100 countries in 2025. In terms of viewership, the top 10 after the US were (in descending order) the UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, China, the Netherlands, Singapore, Norway, India, and Italy. Thanks for stopping by!

Energy drives prosperity and the opportunity for social and environmental progress. The late Petr Beckmann, an electrical engineering professor at the University of Colorado and a prominent nuclear energy advocate, reminded us:

BOE is an independent, unsponsored, ad-free blog that is dedicated to offshore safety, pollution prevention, energy production, effective regulation, and responsible energy policy.

Read Full Post »

Lars Herbst brought this fabulous Christmas sweater to my attention – a must for the holiday season! 😉

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »