Lars Herbst News

The U.S. offshore safety regulator BSEE has formed a panel to investigate a fatal incident that happened earlier this month at a Fieldwood Energy-operated oil platform, in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Louisiana.As previously reported, an offshore worker died on Saturday, May 15, in an incident that, according to Fieldwood, happened during a non-emergency casing pressure test on a shut-in well, at Eugene Island Block 158, Platform #14.The platform sits around 125 miles southwest of New Orleans in the Gulf of Mexico.Now…

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) are investigating the fatality of a worker on board the Petrobras 10,000 drillship in the Gulf of Mexico. Petrobras America Inc. reported the fatality on board the Transocean Ltd. owned drillship at about 4:45 a.m., December 2, 2017. The rig was in an area of the Gulf known as Walker Ridge 469, about 172 miles south of Port Fourchon, La. The deceased worked for Spencer Ogden Ltd. and was participating in pipe handling operations at the time of his injury.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is continuing its investigation of the oil release from Shell Offshore Inc.’s Glider Field on May 12. The Glider Field, located approximately 97 miles south of Port Fourchon, LA, includes subsea wells and the field’s production flows to the Brutus Platform. BSEE Gulf of Mexico Regional Director Lars Herbst formally established an Investigative Panel May 16. The seven-member panel is comprised of BSEE engineers, inspectors, and investigators. The panel will conduct a thorough investigation of the incident in order to identify the causes and any contributing issues that led to the release.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) continues its investigation into the March 10, 2016 death in the Gulf of Mexico of Roy Miller, a Nabors Drilling offshore worker. The fatal injury took place on the Nabors platform rig during maintenance activities for Whistler Energy LLC. "My heartfelt condolences go out to the family of Roy Miller," said BSEE Director Brian Salerno. "Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. BSEE Gulf of Mexico Region Director Lars Herbst has formally established an Investigative Panel. The four-member panel is comprised of a BSEE special investigator, an investigator, a well operations inspector, and an engineer.

Today, representatives of BSEE’s Gulf of Mexico Region hosted U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) officials in this year’s first quarterly meeting at the Gulf Region Office in New Orleans. Gulf of Mexico Region Director Lars Herbst and 8th District USCG Admiral Kevin Cook met with staff from both agencies to coordinate and discuss operational issues in the Gulf of Mexico. The quarterly meetings were implemented under a Memorandum of Understanding between BSEE and USCG effective November 27…

BSEE Gulf of Mexico Regional Director Lars Herbst has stood up a Panel Investigation into the loss of well control event that took place July 23 at South Timbalier Block 220 Well A-3, approximately 55 miles offshore Louisiana. The investigation led by BSEE will focus on determining the cause(s) of the loss of well control and developing recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. BSEE will work closely with Coast Guard for the investigation which involves reviewing information provided by witnesses and subject matter experts through interviews…

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) & the U. S. Coast Guard have set up a Command Center in their continued response to the loss of well control event 55 miles offshore Louisiana in 154 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico. * AM UPDATE: The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has confirmed a fire on board the Hercules 265 Rig located approximately 55 miles offshore Louisiana. The natural gas leaking from the well ignited at 10:50 p.m. CDT July 23, 2013. No one was on board at the time of the ignition and no one was injured.

USA hosted the nineteenth International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) annual seminar from 9-10 November, with its theme ‘The future of marine and subsea operations’. This year’s seminar attracted over 340 delegates, and was endorsed by IADC, OGP, MTS dynamic positioning committee, API, ADC International, OCIMF, and OOC. The two days saw a range of presentations, workshops, social events, an exhibition with stands from 19 different companies, and some strong views from speakers and delegates alike.

As befits the 50th anniversary of the advent of dynamic positioning (DP), the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has turned the spotlight on this invaluable technology. Earlier this year ‘Guidance for developing and conducting annual DP trials programmes for DP vessels’ (IMCA M 190) was published. Now a complementary publication ‘Example of an Annual DP Trials Report’ (IMCA M 212) is available for free download from the IMCA website. IMCA M 190 describes the development…

Delegates from all over the world will be gathering in New Orleans in a matter of weeks for the 19th Annual Seminar of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA). With its theme ‘The Future of Marine & Subsea Operations’, the two day event gets off to a flying start on Wednesday 9 November with a powerful keynote address session involving five key players in the industry addressing the seminar theme – to be followed the next day by a BOEMRE keynote address. “We are delighted to be welcoming IMCA President Andy Woolgar of Subsea 7…

BOEM Director Michael R. Bromwich delivered a keynote address at the International Regulators Forum (IRF) Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. During his visit, Director Bromwich met individually with his counterparts from the offshore regulating agencies from Australia, Canada, Norway and the United Kingdom to discuss issues of mutual interest. “Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today. “I am the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement – the agency responsible for regulating oil and gas exploration and development on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States. “Let me begin by thanking our Conference host, Canada’s Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, and in particular Mr.

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.

Central Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Lease Sale 213, held on March 17 in New Orleans, attracted $949,265,959 in high bids. The sale was conducted by Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) and had 77 companies submitting 642 bids on 468 tracts comprising over 2.4 million acres offshore Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The sum of all bids received totaled $ 1,300,075,693. “The bidding activity at today’s sale speaks to the future of deepwater Gulf in providing vital energy production for the nation,” said Lars Herbst, MMS Gulf of Mexico regional director. A total of 151 tracts in water depths less than 656 feet received bids. This represents 32 percent of all tracts receiving bids, an increase of five percent from last year’s Central Gulf lease sale.

The offshore energy industry continues to show interest in the Gulf of Mexico’s Outer Continental Shelf, with 67 companies submitting 642 bids on 468 tracts that are being offered offshore Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama in tomorrow’s Minerals Management Service Central Gulf Sale 213. “The industry’s interest in tomorrow’s Central Gulf oil and gas lease sale demonstrates the importance of the deepwater Gulf to future energy development” said MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Director Lars Herbst, who presided over the lease sale in the New Orleans Superdome. A total of 295 tracts in water depths greater than 1,300 ft received bids. The sealed were opened and publicly read at the sale. The high bidder for each tract will have its bid analyzed for fair market value before the lease is awarded.

The Director of Minerals Management Service, Liz Birnbaum, will participate in the Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 213 in New Orleans on March 17. She will open the Federal oil and gas lease sale at 9 a.m. CDT at the Louisiana Superdome with brief remarks. Following the bid reading, she will hold a media availability to discuss the results of the sale. The sale, held by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS), encompasses 6,958 unleased blocks covering more than 36.9 million acres offshore Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Approximately 4.1 million unleased acres in the “181 South Area” are included in this sale, with Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas sharing in revenues from tracts leased in that area.

Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico Regional Director Lars Herbst has selected David W. Cooke, Ph.D. as the new Regional Supervisor for Resource Evaluation in the Gulf Region Office. As Regional Supervisor for Resource Evaluation, Dr. Cooke’s responsibilities will include overseeing economic evaluations for lease sales and reserve and resource assessments in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS.)   He will manage a staff of 135 geologists, petroleum engineers, geophysicists, and support staff who are responsible for data acquisition and management, economic analysis, resource studies, and environmentally sound oil and gas operations throughout the Gulf OCS Region. Dr.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has awarded a grant for $718,620 to St. James Parish in Louisiana through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP), for the purchase of a 600-acre tract in the Coteau Chevreuil Wetlands area in South Vacherie, on the west bank of the parish. Purchase of the wetlands tract will provide protection to valuable cypress, tupelo swamp, and bottomland hardwood forest trees. South Vacherie is located approximately 35 miles west of New Orleans, and 55 miles south-southwest of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “MMS is committed to helping the state in its vital coastal restoration efforts through CIAP,” said MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Director Lars Herbst. “We are proud to partner with St. St.

Danos & Curole has been awarded the 2008 Houma District Production Contractor SAFE Award by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS). In addition, the company was also named as a finalist for the 2008 MMS National Production Contractor SAFE Award. Since the inception of the program in 1983, Danos & Curole was the recipient of the National SAFE Award three years and has received numerous district awards. On an individual level, Hank Danos (CEO), Michael…

The federal Mineral Management Service named Lars Herbst the new regional director of the agency’s Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Region. Herbst will manage the leasing of OCS lands off five Gulf Coast states for oil, gas and other mineral development. The region includes more than 7,000 leases, which involve more than 4,000 platforms. A staff engineer with MMS since 1983, Herbst has previously served as district manager of the New Orleans district, deputy regional supervisor and regional supervisor of field operations.