MMS

SCIENCE

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 6 

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL OF THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE

Meeting the

Challenge

in the Face of

Nature’s Wrath

A Hurricane on

the OCS

Tahiti Field

Development

Taking Another

Look –

Ivan the

Terrible

Effects on

Arctic Cisco

Down

But Not Out

Powerful

New Lessons

Meeting the

Challenge

in the Face of

Nature’s Wrath

A Hurricane on

the OCS

Tahiti Field

Development

Taking Another

Look –

Ivan the

Terrible

Effects on

Arctic Cisco

Down

But Not Out

Powerful

New Lessons
2 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL OF THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 Volume 2 Issue 6

3 Meeting the Challenge in the Face of Nature’s Wrath

4 A Hurricane on the OCS

Planning for the Worst

5 Tahiti Field Development

Adding to Domestic Production

6 Taking Another Look –

Ivan the Terrible

7 Effects on Arctic Cisco

Workshop Convenes to Discuss Factors

8 Down But Not Out

MMS Soldiers on in Aftermath of

Hurricanes Katrina, Rita

10 Powerful New Lessons

Hurricanes on the OCS

12 New Waves

Late-breaking News & Information

For more information about the Minerals Management Service, 

check out our site on the World Wide Web:

www.mms.gov

Subscribe

To receive MMS OCEAN SCIENCE, sign up on the website

www.gomr.mms.gov, click on e-mail subscriptions on the left-hand

column, check the box marked Environmental Studies or e-mail

mary.boatman@mms.gov or call (703) 787-1662

MMS

SCIENCE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 

Volume 2 Issue 6

MMS OCEAN SCIENCE is published 

bi-monthly by the Minerals

Management Service to communicate

recent ocean science and technological

information and issues of interest related

to offshore mineral recovery, ocean

stewardship, and mineral revenues.

Please address all questions,

comments, suggestions, and changes

of address to:

Mary Boatman

MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Editor

Minerals Management Service

381 Elden Street

Herndon, VA 20170

mary.boatman@mms.gov

(703) 787-1662

ABOUT THE COVER

Top: Mars platform before Hurricane Katrina. 

Bottom: Mars platform damage after Hurricane Katrina. 

Photos courtesy Shell Exploration & Production.

All photos courtesy of 

Minerals Management Service 

unless otherwise noted.

Publication services provided by 

Schatz Publishing Group
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 3

E

xtracting oil and gas from

geological formations

thousands of feet below the

ocean’s surface without

adversely affecting the

surrounding ecosystems is difficult at

best. The equipment needed to do so is

technologically and financially

challenging. When that equipment is

confronted by the fury of a major

hurricane with 145+ miles per hour

winds, the results can be disastrous. But

when two large storms hit within weeks

of each other, the results can be

catastrophic. Yet in the aftermath of

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the 

damage, while extensive, is not

irreparable. This is due in part to the

lessons learned from earlier hurricanes

and to the cooperative effort of the

Minerals Management Service (MMS)

and its industry and academic partners.

After Hurricane Ivan in 2004,

operators in the Gulf of Mexico, in

cooperation with MMS, have reviewed

and considered technologies to ensure

equipment is stronger, smarter, and

better able to withstand the stresses of

storms such as Katrina. Studies funded

by MMS have helped scientists

understand hurricanes and predict their

force. And additional studies have been

awarded to learn more about Hurricane

Ivan – studies that may reduce damage

in future hurricanes.

The mission of MMS is to oversee

offshore oil and gas exploration and

production, safeguard human life,

protect the marine environment, and

ensure that our Nation receives fair

market value for those resources. That

mission is made much more difficult by

natural disasters such as Katrina and

Rita. With the help of its industry and

academic partners, MMS is exploring

new technologies, researching new

frontiers, and formulating new plans of

action that will ensure that its mission is

successful and America’s energy future is

always secure.

Left and Below: Transferring of oil from a platform

to a tanker. After the hurricanes, onshore facilities

were damaged, making it impossible to transport

the oil from the platform to shore through

pipelines. Transferring the oil to a tanker allows the

product to reach undamaged facilities.

Bottom: Hurricane tracks in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Red is Rita, yellow is Katrina, green is Ivan, and

purple is Dennis.

IN THE FACE OF 

NATURE’S WRATH

MEETING THE 

CHALLENGE
4 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

An approaching hurricane raises 

the level of concern for the

Minerals Management Service

(MMS) and the offshore oil and gas

industry long before it reaches the waters

of the Gulf of Mexico. The MMS and

industry must prepare for the protection

of offshore workers, equipment, and the

environment. Pre-storm planning is 

used to outline evacuation methods,

shut-in of production, and post-storm

start-up procedures.

The monumental job of evacuating

the 25,000-30,000 offshore workers

begins well in advance of the hurricane.

Helicopters and boats take all but those

essential employees necessary to “shutin” the facility. The process of closing

down or shutting in the facility may be

accomplished either on the platform or,

for many new platforms, remotely

through the Supervisory Control and

Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

All wells on the Outer Continental

Shelf (OCS) must be equipped with

downhole safety valves that shut off the

flow of oil in the event of an emergency.

Should the platform be damaged, these

valves “shut-in” production flow to prevent pollution events until the 

production can be safely reestablished.

Operators are required to report 

shut-in production statistics to MMS.

These statistics include the platform

name, daily oil production, cumulative

oil shut-in, daily natural gas production,

cumulative natural gas shut-in, anticipated production return time, and the reason production was shut-in. At the

height of Hurricane Katrina, 100% of oil

production and 94% of gas production

on the OCS was shut-in. During Hurricane Rita, the worst storm to affect the

offshore industry, again 100% of the oil

and 86% of gas production was shut-in.

As the storm abates, operators return

to inspect the damage to the platforms,

rigs, and equipment. They must inspect

for damage above water and underwater.

If the initial underwater inspection

detects significant structural damage,

more detailed underwater inspections

must be conducted. A complete

inspection of pipelines must also be

completed before start-up. A visual

inspection is conducted by divers or

remotely operated vehicles (ROV’s). A

check for flow, leaks, or other damage

that cannot be readily seen by the initial

visual inspection is also required.

Repairs may entail rerouting the flow

of oil or gas through other pipelines. 

For others, repairs may take a year or

more and cost millions of dollars. In

cases where pipelines will not be

available for a long period of time,

alternative transportation methods are

available, such as where the oil may be

transferred to a tanker and taken to

shore (see page 3).

When the repairs are finished and

inspections completed, production will

resume. At each step of the start-up,

MMS works with industry operators to

allow the production to be resumed as

rapidly as possible while still ensuring

the protection of human lives and the

ocean environment.

PLANNING FOR THE WORST

A HURRICANE ON THE OCS

The MMS requires all wellbores in the Gulf of Mexico to include a downhole safety

valve (DSV) pictured here. A DSV isolates wellbore pressure and fluids in the event

of an emergency or failure of surface equipment. In severe hurricanes, closing the

DSV eliminates the potential for the escape of any oil, gas, or wellbore fluid into

the Gulf. During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, these devices were 100% successful in

preventing an accidental release.

Hydraulic control

line to surface

Hydraulic

pressure bled off

to close valve

Control sleeve

Fail-safe spring

mechanism

Flapper

Open Closed
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 5

Three-day path of Hurricane Katrina from August

27-29, 2005. Courtesy David E Dismukes.

Chevron USA recently announced

the start of construction of the

floating production facility for

installation in the Tahiti Field. Tahiti is

located in Green Canyon Blocks 640,

641, and 596 of the Gulf of Mexico, 190

miles south of New Orleans, and will be

developed from two subsea drill centers

producing to a floating production

facility supported by a truss spar.

The subsea drill centers will be located near the two Tahiti appraisal wells in

Green Canyon Blocks 596 and 640 that

were completed in 2003. One of the

appraisal wells encountered more than

1,000 feet of net pay, one of the most

significant net pay accumulations in the

history of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. 

Tahiti is one of the Gulf's largest

deepwater discoveries, located in 4,200

feet of water, and is believed to hold

400–500 million barrels of potentially

recoverable oil-equivalent. 

The Tahiti Field is designed to have a

daily production capacity of 125,000

barrels of oil, 70 million cubic feet of

natural gas, and treatment capability for

120,000 barrels of produced water. The

field will be developed in phases.

Chevron holds a 58% majority share in

the joint venture Tahiti project with

Statoil ASA holding 25% of the project

and Shell Exploration and Production

Co. a 17% share. Chevron, as majority

participant, will serve as the operator of

the field. Total capital costs for the

project are anticipated to be

Diagram of the planned Tahiti project showing the

truss spar floating production facility (FPF) and the tiebacks from several wells. Diagram courtesy of Chevron.

ADDING TO DOMESTIC PRODUCTION

TAHITI FIELD DEVELOPMENT

approximately $3.5 billion, including

the first phase cost of $1.8 billion. 

The first phase is expected to achieve

production by mid-2008.

The deepwater spar hull will be 558

feet (170 meters) long and 128 feet 

(39 meters) in diameter and have a steel

weight of 24,000 metric tons. Delivery of

the hull and topside modules is set for

mid-2007.

The Tahiti Field, when fully developed, is expected to add significantly to

the production of domestic oil and gas,

having a positive impact on the Nation's

reliance on imported oil and gas.
6 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

While damage to oil and gas

production in the Gulf of

Mexico (GOM) from

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita continues to

be assessed, a study of the lessons

learned from last year’s Hurricane Ivan

may help operators in the GOM better

prepare for the next Katrina.

Hurricane Ivan hit the GOM with

140+ mile-per-hour winds. Although

150 platforms and 10,000 miles of

pipelines were directly in the path of

Ivan, there was no loss of life and no

significant pollution. Thirty-one

platforms were seriously damaged or

destroyed and 10% of the GOM

production was interrupted for over four

months.

Facilities that were damaged by Ivan

include mobile drilling rigs, offshore

IVAN THE TERRIBLE

TAKING ANOTHER LOOK

platforms, producing wells, topside

systems including wellheads and

production and processing equipment,

risers, and pipeline systems that

transport oil and gas ashore from

offshore facilities.

Last year, the Minerals Management

Service (MMS) awarded contracts to

study the impact of Ivan on offshore oil

and gas structures in the Gulf. One study

explores information from wave gauges

deployed by the Naval Research

Laboratory on the Outer Continental

Shelf (OCS). Preliminary findings

suggest that wave heights were over 69

feet and that maximum crest-to-trough

heights of individual waves exceeded

132 feet near the eyewall.

Other studies will assess the

consequential damage to structures and

Extreme Waves Under Hurricane Ivan

On September 15, 2004, the center of Hurricane Ivan passed directly over

six wave-tide gauges deployed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), at

depths of 60 and 90 meters (197 and 295 feet), on the outer continental shelf

in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, allowing measurement of the extreme

waves directly under this Category 4 hurricane.

The satellite image (right) shows the eye of Hurricane Ivan just southeast

of the boot of Louisiana on September 15, 2004 (provided by NRL's Ocean

Optics Group). The NRL moorings are shown as blue dots. A National Data

Buoy Center (NDBC) buoy is shown as a red circle and the track of Hurricane

Ivan is shown in green with the squares marking the hurricane's center every

three hours.

The chart (left) indicates the wave height

(H) in meters for significant wave height

(circles) and maximum wave height (crosses)

for the six moorings and wave height for the

NDBC buoy (dotted line) over time (days). The

radial distance of Hurricane Ivan's center from

the buoys is shown as green squares. Waves

were observed with significant wave heights

reaching 17.9 meters (59 feet) and maximum

crest-to-trough individual wave heights of 27.7

meters (91 feet). Analysis suggests that

significant wave heights likely surpassed 21

meters (69 feet) and that maximum crest-totrough individual wave heights exceeded 40

meters (132 feet) near the eyewall.

FOR OR MORE MORE INFORMA INFORMATION:

Subject: Hurricane Ivan Research

Website: www.mms.gov/

tarprojectcategories/

HurricaneIvan.htm

Subject: Hurricane Ivan

Information

Website: www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/

whatsnew/hurricane/ivan.html

pipelines, determine the effectiveness of

current design standards and pollutionprevention systems, and develop

recommendations for changes, if 

needed, to industry standards and 

MMS regulations.
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 7

Falling catches of Arctic cisco in

recent years and the possible

correlations with offshore

development are of great concern to

residents of the North Slope Borough.

The Minerals Management Service

(MMS) convened a workshop on the

variability of Arctic cisco (Qaaktaq) in

the Colville River and brought together

local experts from Nuiqsut, Kaktovik,

and Barrow, Alaska, and Tuktoyaktuk,

Canada, as well as scientists from the

United States and Canada. Collectively

they represented a wealth of expertise

and experience. 

The primary goals were to share their

knowledge of the Arctic cisco, to identify

important questions and to consider

how those questions might be answered

in the future. 

Commercial catches within the

Colville Delta have been monitored

since 1967, and subsistence catches since

1985. Reported catches have been

variable over time, with a series of

declining catches from 1997 to 2002,

which has caused community concern. 

A panel of community elders and

local experts recounted to fellow

workshop participants their personal

observations of historical catches of

Arctic cisco and events associated with

the rise and fall of the catches or

availability of the fish. Some of these

observations were before 1940. The

changes most emphasized in the

presentations were the decreases in

subsistence catches from nets set under

the ice of the Colville River during the

1970’s, with many examples of catches

dropping from hundreds of fish per day

to tens of fish or less per day. Residents

reported Arctic cisco have also decreased

in size, now requiring the use of smaller

mesh nets. Concerns and possible

correlations with oil development

include both onshore and offshore

activities. Additional presentations of

Arctic cisco ecology, oceanography,

genetics techniques, and fisheries

modeling continued with discussions of

issues and information needs.

WORKSHOP CONVENES TO DISCUSS FACTORS

EFFECTS ON ARCTIC CISCO 

The workshop participants prioritized

the topics of most concern, which were

1. Effects of development and 

human activities

2. Review previously collected

Canadian and Alaskan data,

including Elders’ information

3. Arctic cisco life history

4. Migration of young of the year

from Mackenzie River

5. Water quality, contaminants

6. Genetics, source stocks

7. Colville river dynamics

8. Ice roads and bridges

9. Seismic, noise

10. Climate change

11. Socioeconomics

There was a consensus among

participants that initial efforts should be

made to collect and synthesize available

information. There are very good catch

statistics for the commercial fishery since

1967 and the subsistence fishery since

1985. There are relevant data on the

fisheries, fishes, oceanography, weather,

water quality, and land use. 

Participants identified potential State,

Federal, and international agencies or

organizations that may be approached

for joint efforts or possible funding for

this project. Particular importance was

given to the potential for a cooperative

or collaborative effort between the

Canadian and Alaskan communities. 

For some concerns such as water quality,

groundwater contamination, and

measurements of body burden levels 

of possible contaminants in subsistence

foods, there are existing programs in

which the community can ask for

assistance or participation.

FOR OR MORE MORE INFORMA INFORMATION:

Proceedings of a Workshop on the

Variability of Arctic Cisco

(Qaaktaq) in the Colville River

Website: www.mms.gov/Alaska/reports/

2004Reports/2004_033.pdf

Top: Nuiqsut resident clearing ice to access his fish

net in the Colville River on a relatively warm day

(above 0 ̊ F) at sunset (about 2 P.M.).

Middle: Harvesting Arctic cisco (Qaaktaq) after the

other end of the net is pulled up through another

ice hole.

Bottom: The Arctic cisco (Qaaktaq) is a crucial

subsistence food resource for residents of Nuiqsut

on the northern coast of Alaska.
Courtesy CIMMS/SSEC and 

Rick Kohrs/UW-SSEC

8 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

T

he one-two punch of

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

had a catastrophic impact

on MMS employees in the 

New Orleans office and

other locations.

In New Orleans, with about 500

MMS employees, the impacts have been

devastating on both personal and

professional fronts. Many employees

have lost their homes and all are dealing

with the impacts. The MMS office

building was damaged but escaped the

destruction that so much of the city has

experienced. Repairs have begun.

Fortunately, the MMS workforce

knows how to land on its feet. A

temporary office was established in

Houston by the Gulf of Mexico Region

Continuity of Operations Team before

Katrina hit and quickly expanded in the

storm’s wake. This temporary office is a

new work home for 150 employees.

Crisis counseling is being made available to all MMS employees affected by

the storms.

“We know many of our staff face very

tough times in the wake of Hurricane

Katrina,” MMS Director Johnnie Burton

told employees in the aftermath of

Hurricane Katrina. “I know that all the

members of the MMS family wish to

send our thoughts and prayers to our coworkers and their families,” she said.

“While we need to restore the

operational capabilities of the MMS Gulf

region, we are concerned first about the

safety of all our staff. I am humbled by

the dedication already demonstrated by

many of our staff and want to thank

everyone for their continued support. 

As the President has said, right now we

face very tough times but as a Nation we

will recover and we will be stronger. 

A million thanks to everyone.”

On September 13, Secretary Norton

and MMS Director Johnnie Burton met

with MMS employees who relocated

their regional headquarters from New

Orleans and commended them for their

outstanding dedication and effort.

Despite their personal losses, these professionals continue to work with energy

companies to help restore Gulf oil and

gas production shut down by the storms.

Norton thanked Interior employees

for their commitment and efforts. “More

than 1,400 Interior employees are

working with local and State agencies to

rescue residents trapped by the storm,

provide food, water and shelter, and help

with recovery efforts throughout the

region,” Norton said. “MMS employees,

many of whom lost their homes and

possessions, have been especially

dedicated, carrying on their public

service under the most difficult

conditions.”

Immediately after the storm, the

primary focus for MMS was

humanitarian aid to those persons

devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The

MMS released 10 of its contracted

helicopters for search-and-rescue

missions. Several oil and gas companies

also donated their helicopters and boats

for this purpose.

The MMS has now located and

accounted for all the members of our

DOWN BUT

NOT OUT

MMS SOLDIERS ON 

IN AFTERMATH OF

HURRICANES KATRINA, RITA
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 9

New Orleans office displaced by the

storm. The Continuity of Operations

team relocated to Houston as Katrina

approached New Orleans. Within a few

days, a heroic group of around 20

individuals gathered and have worked

tirelessly through some very long hours

every day since Katrina, gathering and

assessing data on the status of operations

in the Gulf.

The Gulf of Mexico is of vital

importance to American citizens,

supplying 29 percent of the Nation’s

domestic oil supply and 19 percent of

the gas produced domestically. For this

reason, within hours after Katrina moved

FOR OR MORE MORE INFORMA INFORMATION:

Subject: Gulf of Mexico Region 

Home Page

Website: www.gomr.mms.gov

Subject: Hurricane Information

Website: www.gomr.mms.gov/

homepg/whatsnew/hurricane/

index.html

“...My thoughts are with you and your families as we work toward 

rebuilding our lives, our homes, and the Gulf of Mexico Regional Office. 

I appreciate your support, cooperation, and willingness to pitch in 

and do what it takes to get this massive job done.”

Chris Oynes, Gulf of Mexico Regional Director, September 14, 2005

through, the complex process of energy

restoration began in the Gulf.

The first step was aerial overflights by

the industry to conduct initial damage

assessments. Then, personnel boarded

the facilities and checked structural

components, production equipment,

and pipelines for damage.

As Hurricane Rita bore down on the

Gulf, the process began again, working

to shut down, secure, and evacuate rigs

and platforms before the storm hit, and

then surveying the damage afterward.

The complex process of restoring energy

production in the offshore region began

anew and continues.

“I cannot find words to sufficiently

praise the dedication of these MMS

employees in the Gulf Coast Region –

many of whom had their homes

destroyed or severely damaged. Yet they

have devoted every waking hour to

helping restore energy for America,”

MMS Director Burton said.

Hurricane Oil Spill Response 

For the last 30 years, there has been a steady decrease of the Outer

Continental Shelf (OCS) oil spill rate. In fact, the spill rate has decreased

almost 67%. The progress is due to a diligent commitment to

environmental safety. Although the total volume of oil spilled on the OCS has

declined each decade since 1970, a Category 4 or 5 Hurricane like Ivan, Katrina,

or Rita brings the possibility of damage to pipelines and platforms that could

result in an oil spill.

To increase safety and environmental stewardship of OCS operations,

Minerals Management Service (MMS) requires advanced training for offshore

personnel in production safety and well control techniques. In addition, all

exploration, development, and production plans submitted by operators in 

the Gulf must include up-to-date oil spill contingency plans and environmental reports. 

The MMS manages a comprehensive safety inspection program dedicated to

safe exploration, development, and production operations on the OCS. A fulltime staff conducts almost 25,000 inspections of offshore facilities each year –

up 60% since 1999. Should a mishap occur, MMS makes use of its

comprehensive accident inspection program to identify and address any issue.

As part of its mission to keep offshore development safe and

environmentally sound, MMS has funded research over the last 25 years to

learn more about the behavior of potential spills and methods of containment.

At the National Oil Spill Response Test Facility (Ohmsett), industry and

academic scientists are testing and documenting the behavior of hundreds of

types of crude oils and refined products. Methods of containing each of these

oil types in differing weather conditions and diverse locations have been and

are being developed.
10 MMS OCEAN SCIENCE Science & Technology Journal

Whether deep or shallow, fixed

or floating, pipeline or

platform, oil and gas

production structures on the Outer

Continental Shelf (OCS) must withstand

incredible stresses – water pressure,

ocean currents, and the powerful forces

of fierce hurricanes. The engineering

goals for each of these structures is that

there will be no loss of life and no

environmental damage, and no longterm disruption of oil and gas

production in the event of a hurricane or

other catastrophic event. The Minerals

Management Service (MMS) is

responsible for ensuring that these goals

are met.

This past summer, Hurricanes Katrina

and Rita combined to severely test OCS

engineering criteria. Fortunately, there

was no loss of life or significant

environmental damage on the OCS from

production structures and equipment.

But a total of 160 platforms and rigs

were damaged or destroyed, the majority

of which were older and low-producing

structures that were built before 1988,

when more stringent engineering

standards were adopted. However, Shell’s

$550 million Mars facility, a deepwater

tension leg platform (TLP), sustained

major damage.

One engineering issue that has been

identified from experiences with

hurricanes is the design of mooring

anchors. Nineteen Mobile Offshore

Drilling Units (MODU’s) were torn from

their moorings and were found adrift

after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. To

address this issue, Secretary of the

Interior Gale Norton called for a

conference of industry leaders and

HURRICANES ON THE OCS

POWERFUL NEW LESSONS

Hurricanes Rita and Katrina paths, August and

September 2005. Gold area indicates Hurricane

Katrina’s path/hurricane force winds. Pink area indicates Hurricane Rita’s path/hurricane force winds.

associations with regulators to discuss

and recommend changes that might

prevent mooring failure in the future.

Another potential design issue

highlighted initially by Hurricane Ivan

last year and then by Katrina and Rita is

the deck height – the space between the

ocean and the lower deck of an oil and

gas platform. Wave-tide gauges set up by

the Naval Research Laboratory to study

waves in the Gulf recorded individual

wave heights reaching an amazing 91 to

132 feet – heights that put platforms and

equipment at risk. New regulations for

deck height are being assessed and may

need to be implemented to prevent

further damage. The MMS and its

industry partners will work together to

apply any new information to create a

safer operating environment.

Pipelines have a proven track record

of reliability on the OCS; however, they

can still be affected by powerful

LEGEND

• Platforms

•–•– Storm track for the eye of Katrina

Hurricane Force Winds – Katrina

•–•– Storm track for the eye of Rita

Hurricane Force Winds – Rita
MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 11

hurricanes on the OCS. While the effects

of Katrina and Rita on the pipeline

system are still being evaluated, the

damage during Hurricane Ivan (approximately 100 pipelines) proved they are

not completely safe from the effects of a

hurricane. While these represent a small

part of the 33,000 miles of pipeline

currently on the OCS, improvements in

the system – such as re-routing the

pipelines out of mudslide areas – are

being explored to provide additional

security to the environment and to the

flow of the Nation’s energy supply.

To obtain valuable data about the

effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on

the Gulf itself, MMS is funding an

exploration cruise to collect

oceanographic information along the

hurricanes’ paths. Shortly before Katrina

hit, an MMS-funded observational study

was completed in the area of the storm’s

path. Scientists will be able to compare

the two studies to assess the changes in

the Gulf and learn more about the

effects of powerful hurricanes on Gulf

ecosystems.

While Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, 

and Rita have caused tragic losses,

scientists, operators, engineers, and

regulators have a chance to learn from

the damage experienced in these

powerful storms and improve the safety

of both production and transportation

in the future.

Of the 4,000 platforms that MMS

regulates, 3,050 platforms were in the

path of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

The preliminary damage assessment

indicated that 112 of the older “end 

of life” facilities built prior to MMS’s

upgraded design standards were

destroyed.

Major new facilities withstood the

storms better, with only one major

facility destroyed and four receiving

significant damage. Repairs are already

underway on the damaged facilities, but

On this diagram of a platform, the deck height is

the distance from the sea surface to the base of the

lower deck. The deck height can vary from 42 to

53.5 feet, depending on the water depth, for new

installations and between 24 and 48 feet for existing

platforms, depending on the type of structure and

water depth. Artist’s rendition courtesy of BP

Exploration and Production.

a substantial portion of production is

expected to remain shut-in until the

hurricane season next year.

The MMS has taken a number of

actions to facilitate the process of

returning energy resources to America,

consistent with the need for safety. These

measures include expediting review of

requests for temporary barging of oil or

flaring of small amounts of natural gas;

expediting the approval process for

pipeline repairs; waiving of cost recovery

fees until January 2006; and maintaining

continuous operations in the Gulf area

despite evacuation and relocation of the

MMS New Orleans office and damage to

district offices.
Sidebar Head

FOR OR MORE MORE INFORMA INFORMATION:

Subject:

Website: www.

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NEW WAVES Late-breaking News & Information

MMS Regional Office Operations Return to New

Orleans and Commits to Staying in the Area

We are working to secure a new 10-year lease for the Elmwood building and are working with the property owner to update the building

as part of the repairs.”

As of October 28th, all employees reported for duty, with about

350 occupying the first five floors of the Elmwood Towers and a small

contingent in a neighboring building; and about another 150 remaining in Houston until the other five, more heavily damaged, floors are

repaired. About 100 district employees have continued to work in the

district offices along the Gulf Coast despite Hurricanes Katrina and

Rita. The Lake Charles district office was temporarily closed because of

Hurricane Rita but reopened with full operations on October 24th.

The MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office has been located in the

New Orleans metropolitan area since the agency was created in 1982,

and has been housed at the Elmwood Towers building since 1986.

“The return of the Gulf of Mexico Regional Office to New Orleans is a

clear indication of the Federal Government’s commitment to the

rebuilding of the metropolitan area,” said Director Burton.

The Department of the

Interior’s Minerals

Management Service

reopened its Gulf of Mexico

Regional Office at 1201

Elmwood Park Boulevard in New Orleans. “After two months of operating with a reduced staff in Houston, we are happy to have all our

employees back at work, and the majority back in the Elmwood

space,” stated MMS Director Johnnie Burton. “Despite the temporary

loss of offices housing more than 600 employees, we moved aggressively to resume full operations.”

Because of the extensive damage sustained by the regional office

during Hurricane Katrina, employees were prevented from returning

to work. A temporary office with a contingency of employees was

established in Houston.

Director Burton noted that “MMS is committed to stay in the

New Orleans area and contribute to the economic revival of the area.

Sun sets behind platform 

in the Gulf of Mexico.

Photo courtesy of Gregory S. Boland