FD- OCS-EPA-R4012-M1

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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 4

Final Determination

Outer Continental Shelf Air Permit OCS-EPA-R4012-M1

Statoil Gulf Services, LLC

On July 9, 2014, the Region 4 office of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

requested public comment on a draft Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) air permit modification for Statoil 

Gulf Services, LLC (Statoil). This permit modification revises OCS air quality permit OCS-EPA-R4012 

that the EPA previously issued to Statoil on October 28, 2013 for the DeSoto Canyon area project. The 

EPA announced the public comment period and opportunity for public hearing via a public notice 

published in the Florida Weekly Register, Mobile Press Register, Panama City News Herald, and 

Pensacola News Journal, in emails to the OCS public notice list, and on www.regulations.gov and the 

EPA Region 4’s website. No requests for a public hearing were received. Therefore, the planned public 

hearing was canceled due to insufficient interest. No comments were received during the public 

comment period, which commenced on July 9, 2014 and ended on August 8, 2014.

The permit regulates air pollutant emissions from either the Transocean Discoverer Americas drillship 

or the Maersk Developer drill rig and support vessels, which Statoil intends to operate within its DeSoto 

Canyon area lease locations on the OCS in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 160 miles southeast of the 

mouth of the Mississippi River and greater than 200 miles southwest of Panama City, Florida. The 

exploratory drilling operation will last up to 180 days per year at multiple locations within the lease 

blocks for approximately 5 to 10 years. Neither the original permit nor the revision authorizes the 

establishment of any permanent facilities.

The EPA prepared a preliminary determination and statement of basis document as well as a summary 

fact sheet that explains the permit modifications. These documents, the public notice, the application, 

and all supporting documentation are available on the EPA Region 4’s website at: 

http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html. The Administrative Record is 

available at the EPA Region 4 office and can be accessed through the EPA’s website at: 

http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ocspermits/ocspermits.html and www.regulations.gov (docket 

EPA-R04-OAR-2014-0510).

The permit incorporates applicable requirements from the federal Prevention of Significant 

Deterioration preconstruction and title V operating permit programs, New Source Performance 

Standards (NSPS), and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), as 

required by the OCS Air Quality Regulations at 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 55.

After consideration of the expressed view of all interested persons, the pertinent federal statutes and 

regulations, the application and supplemental information submitted by the applicant, and additional 

material relevant to the application and contained in the administrative record, EPA has made a final 

determination in accordance with title 40 CFR part 55 to issue an air permit to Statoil for exploratory 

drilling operations in the DeSoto Canyon OCS lease block area. The final permit modification does not 

differ significantly from the draft permit modification offered for public comment.
FD- OCS-EPA-R4012-M1

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Summary of Changes to the draft Permit Modification

The condition listed below was changed to clarify that notification of changes to a previously submitted 

drill site notification may be communicated to the EPA electronically versus being submitted through 

the regular mail. The change notification is required to be submitted by the permittee to the EPA no less 

than 24 hours prior to construction or operation. The revised condition in the final permit is as follows:

6.1 Drill Site Notification

6.1.1 At least 10 days prior to entering the drill site, the permittee shall notify the EPA 

in writing, in accordance with Condition 5.16.7 of this permit, of the following 

information:

 The location of the proposed drill site, using coordinates in latitude/longitude 

and Universal Transverse Mercator grid system formats;

 The proposed date that the drilling vessel will enter the lease block and 

commence construction or operation and the probable duration of operation at 

that location; and

 The certification of maintenance and no physical changes required by Condition 

6.5.1.1 (if applicable).

6.1.2 Not less than 24 hours prior to commencing construction or operation, the 

permittee shall notify the EPA of any changes to information provided by the 

permittee in Condition 6.1.1. This notification of changes may be provided to 

the EPA electronically.

Typographical and Grammatical Errors

Other minor changes have been made to the permit to correct typographical or grammatical errors. 

These changes have no impact on the emissions or the required monitoring. All changes made to the 

draft permit can be found in the administrative record referenced above.