Boem Gulf Of Mexico News

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Gulf of Mexico OCS office published two new studies examining the potential for and impacts of renewable energy projects in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.“Offshore Renewable Energy Technologies in the Gulf of Mexico” analyzed different offshore renewable energy technologies -- including wind, wave, tidal, current, solar, deepwater source cooling and hydrogen --  to determine which are best suited for development in the Gulf of Mexico.Offshore wind…

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper today announced Mike Celata as the Regional Director of the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region. Celata, who starts his position immediately, has been with BOEM and its predecessors since 1988. He has been acting Regional Director since March. The Gulf of Mexico Region is responsible for managing more than 4,600 active leases over 25 million acres of land on the OCS. “Mike has many years of service with the agency, working on aspects of the OCS energy program and on regional and national ocean policy initiatives,” said BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper. After receiving a B.A.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Gulf of Mexico Regional Director John Rodi will open the Gulf of Mexico Western Planning Area Lease Sale 238 at 9 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The sale, which offers more than 21 million acres for oil and gas exploration and development offshore Texas, is open to the public and news media representatives are invited to attend. Following the bid reading, a news media teleconference to announce the results of the sale will be conducted by BOEM Gulf of Mexico Deputy Regional Director Michael Celata. Media wishing to participate in the teleconference only should call 1-888-469-1174 by 10 a.m. CDT and provide the passcode GULF SALE.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2014, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will announce the results of Gulf of Mexico Lease Sales 231 and 225, which are offering more than 40 million acres for oil and gas exploration and development offshore Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Joining the Secretary on the press conference call will be Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Tommy P. Beaudreau and BOEM Gulf of Mexico Regional Director John Rodi. As part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy to continue to expand safe and responsible domestic energy production, Lease Sale 231 in the Central Planning Area and Lease…

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) completed its required evaluation to ensure that the public receives fair market value for tracts leased as part of Central Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Lease Sale 227, which was held on March 20, 2013. After extensive economic analysis, BOEM has awarded 307 leases on tracts covering 1,648,831 acres to the successful high bidders who participated in the sale, which made 7,299 unleased blocks covering about 38.6 million acres available offshore Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The accepted high bids are valued at $1,199,052,037. The terms of Sale 227 continued a range of incentives to encourage diligent development and ensure a fair return to taxpayers — including an increased minimum bid for deepwater tracts…

BOEM Completes Final Supplemental Review for Central Planning Area in the Gulf of Mexico. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today released a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for proposed oil and gas Lease Sale 216/222. The SEIS updates several previously published environmental reviews covering the Gulf of Mexico, including incorporating the latest available information for the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area following the Deepwater Horizon event. The bureau will continue to conduct and assess additional scientific research and studies, and use this information to inform future offshore leasing and energy development decisions. A Federal Register notice announcing the availability of the Final SEIS will be published on January 20, 2012.

BOEM Will Hold Public Hearing in New Orleans on Proposed Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold a public hearing in New Orleans on Jan. 11, 2012, to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas lease sales offshore Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. This DEIS is for the proposed lease sales in the Western and Central Gulf of Mexico 2012 – 2017 five-year program. A leasing program consists of a schedule of oil and gas lease sales (auctions) indicating the size, timing and location of proposed leasing activity for the five-year period following its approval by the Secretary of the Interior.

Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will open Western Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 218 in New Orleans today at 9 a.m. CST at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with brief remarks. The sale, held by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), has attracted 241 bids submitted by 20 companies on 191 tracts offshore Texas, compared to 189 bids submitted by 27 companies on 162 tracts during the previous Western Gulf Lease sale in August 2009. Blocks are located in federal waters from nine to more than 250 miles offshore, in water depths of about 16 feet (five meters) to more than 10,975 feet (3,346 meters). BOEM estimates that this sale could result in production of approximately 222 to 423 million barrels of oil and 1.49 to 2.65 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

BOEM Will Hold Public Hearing on December 8th in New Orleans on Proposed Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold a public hearing in New Orleans on Dec. 8, 2011, to provide an opportunity to comment on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012 – 2017. This is one in a series of 13 public hearings. A leasing program consists of a schedule of oil and gas lease sales (auctions) indicating the size, timing and location of proposed leasing activity for the five-year period following its approval by the Secretary of the Interior.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) is seeking to fill five senior executive positions for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), the two new bureaus that will replace the former Minerals Management Service (MMS). “The positions we are announcing today will be critical to the smooth and effective functioning of the two new bureaus,” said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich. The positions will be filled over the next several months, so that the executive leadership teams for both BOEM and BSEE will be in place to ensure a smooth transition when the bureaus commence separate operations on Oct. 1, 2011.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visited three offshore drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico July 28, where he received updates on the improved inspection process and additional safety requirements for blowout preventers and well construction. “We are quickly and thoughtfully implementing safety reforms for offshore energy operations to ensure workers, communities, and the environment are protected as the nation develops its energy supplies,” said Salazar. “Today, we saw production activities and shallow water drilling operations that are implementing the new standards as they continue their operations. The Secretary was accompanied by Deputy Secretary David Hayes, Director of Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) Michael R.