Seventh annual review of Interior's methodology for allowing OCS wells to be shut in or to flare natural gas

Technical Report · Mon Sep 30 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:6052912

Bowsher, C A

Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) has primary responsibility for monitoring Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease activities, including shut-in and flaring wells. This review was conducted primarily at the MMS Gulf of Mexico OCS regional office in Metairie, Louisiana. About 92% of the 3930 producing offshore oil wells and all but 8 of the 3178 producing offshore gas wells are in the Gulf of Mexico. The reviewers examined applicable regulations, policies, procedures, and records, such as lease operator reports on shut-in and flaring wells, MMS platform inspection reports, and lease operator flaring requests to and approvals from MMS. In addition, they interviewed MMS regional officials responsible for Interior's oversight of shut-in and flaring wells. They believe Interior's methodology for allowing OCS oil and gas wells to be shut in or to flare natural gas is reasonable. Also, they continue to support their previous recommendations that the Congress repeal Section 15(1)(D) of the OCS Lands Act, as amended, and Sections 601(a) and (b) of the OCS Lands Act Amendments of 1978. These repeals would abolish the requirements that Interior annually report on such practices and the annual evaluation of the Secretary of the Interior's methodology.

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (USA). Office of the Comptroller General
• OSTI ID: 6052912
• Report Number(s): GAO/RCED-85-161; ON: TI86900556
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300 -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294002* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Petroleum
294003 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Natural Gas
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CONTINENTAL SHELF
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
FLARING
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GULF OF MEXICO
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS
WELLS