Johnnie Burton News

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), Gulf of Mexico Region, released new oil and gas daily production rate projections that encompass the year 2006. According to the new report, Daily Oil and Gas Production Rate Projections From 2002 Through 2006, Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf, MMS is forecasting a daily oil production rate of between 2.00 and 2.47 million barrels by the end of 2006, and a daily gas production rate of between 10.97 and 16.39 billion cu. ft. by the end of the same year. These represent high case and low case estimates. MMS Director Johnnie Burton called the new projections "a healthy, sizeable increase in the range of possible oil production.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), Gulf of Mexico Region, released new oil and gas daily production rate projections that encompass the year 2006. According to the new report, Daily Oil and Gas Production Rate Projections From 2002 Through 2006, Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf, MMS is forecasting a daily oil production rate of between 2.00 and 2.47 million barrels by the end of 2006, and a daily gas production rate of between 10.97 and 16.39 billion cu. ft. by the end of the same year. These represent high case and low case estimates. MMS Director Johnnie Burton called the new projections "a healthy, sizeable increase in the range of possible oil production.

Timely payment of royalties and accurate reporting have earned four energy companies the Mineral Revenues Stewardship Award, the Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) announced today. The oil and gas industry places a high value on the award. “We are recognizing these companies for their exceptional performance in production reporting and timely payment of royalties to the Federal Government,” MMS Director Johnnie Burton said. The award recipients are ConocoPhillips, Shell Exploration and Production Company, XTO Energy Inc., and Foundation Wyoming Land Company. They will be receiving the Stewardship Award during the annual MMS Industry Awards Ceremony on April 17, 2007, in Houston, Texas.

Near record oil and gas prices led to robust bidding in an offshore federal lease sale today. The Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 198, garnered $588,309,791 in high bids from 82 companies for oil and natural gas leases in the Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The total of all bids was $978,310,887. This represents a 38% increase over last years Central Gulf Sale. The sale, held March 15 in New Orleans, was conducted by the Minerals Management Service. In Sale 198 the agency received 707 bids on 405 tracts. Johnnie Burton, Director of the Minerals Management Service, spoke briefly at the sale. “The Department is committed to working with all interested parties to enhance energy development in an environmentally responsible manner in available areas of the Gulf,” she said.

Bloomberg has reported that the Bush administration wants Marathon Oil Corp., Kerr-McGee Corp. and 54 other oil and gas producers to renegotiate Gulf of Mexico drilling leases that let them avoid paying as much as $10 billion in government fees. The Interior Department may ask the companies to voluntarily rewrite contracts from 1998 and 1999 to add a provision for royalty payments when oil and gas prices are high, said Johnnie Burton, head of the department's Minerals Management Service. Price thresholds for relief from royalty fees were accidentally omitted in those years and were included in 1996, 1997 and 2000. The U.S. House of Representatives last month approved a measure that would bar companies from any new U.S. leases until they agreed to fix the contracts from 1998 and 1999.

The premier Oceanology International Americas 2003 Exhibition/The Oceanography Society Ocean (OI) Conference will be held inn New Orleans, La., at the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center on June 4-6. Organized by Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd., OI is part of the second "Americas" version of Oceanology International. This year, the event features an exciting integration of Spearhead’s exhibition expertise and the technical reputation of The Oceanography Society, combining the best of both, featuring marine science, technology, operational oceanography, policy, and education as well as special events. Co-chairing the event is Dr. Richard W. Spinrad (technical director, Office of the Oceanographer of the U.S. Navy) and Dr. Timothy K.