Outer Continental Shelf Title V and PSD Permit Application 

Introduction 1-1 ENVIRON 

1 Introduction 

Statoil Gulf Services, LLC (Statoil) is applying for a Title V and Prevention of Significant 

Deterioration (PSD) permit from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

Region 4 for the operation of either the Maersk Developer (Developer) or Transocean 

Discoverer Americas (Discoverer Americas) dynamically positioned deep water drilling vessel 

and associated support fleet in the eastern Gulf of Mexico beyond 25 miles of any state’s 

seaward boundary. 

Specifically, Statoil is proposing to utilize one of these two deep water drilling vessels to conduct 

exploratory drilling (NAICS category 211111 and SIC code 1311) in its DeSoto Canyon lease 

blocks, which are located east of the 87 degree, 30 minute Longitude on the Outer Continental 

Shelf (OCS) of the Gulf of Mexico. Figure 1 shows the location of these lease blocks (Desoto 

Canyon lease blocks 143, 187, 188, 230, 231, 625, 669, 670, 671, 715, 716, 759, 760, and 

804). Please be advised the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has awarded 

lease blocks 625, 669, 670, 671, 715, 716, 759, 760, and 804 to Statoil; however, formal 

execution of these leases is currently pending. 

Each lease block is approximately five kilometers by five kilometers. Statoil proposes to use 

either the Developer or Discoverer Americas deep water drilling vessel and associated support 

fleet to perform exploratory drilling for up to 180 days per year in multiple locations within its 

DeSoto Canyon lease blocks. The permitting of the Developer is presented in this application 

as Operating Scenario 1, and the Discoverer Americas is presented as Operating Scenario 2. 

Mobilization of either the Developer or Discoverer Americas and associated support fleet is 

expected to begin July 1, 2013. Statoil expects to perform drilling exploration operations in its 

DeSoto Canyon lease blocks for approximately 5 to 10 years. At this time, Statoil does not have 

any plans to establish any permanent production platforms in the proposed exploration areas; 

however, if opportunities are later discovered, then such facilities will be appropriately permitted. 

This permit application seeks to obtain a permit under PSD regulations in accordance with 40 

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 55.13(d)(2) and 40 CFR 52.21 and, therefore, we have 

included in this permit application all of the information and analysis required by 40 CFR 52.21. 

Additionally, this application seeks to obtain a Title V operating permit in accordance with 40 

CFR 55.13(f)(2) and 40 CFR 71, the federal Title V operating permit program. 

The remainder of this permit application is organized as follows. Section 2 – Process 

Description provides a detailed process description of the proposed drilling activities associated 

with each of the two operating scenarios proposed with this permit application, i.e., the 

Developer (Operating Scenario 1) and Discoverer Americas (Operating Scenario 2). Section 3 

– Emission Source Description presents a discussion of the emission sources and potential-toemit (PTE) emission rate calculation basis for each proposed emission source by operating 

scenario. Section 4 – Regulatory Applicability documents the regulatory applicability 

determinations performed for each emissions unit proposed with this permit application. Section 

5 – BACT Determination documents the best available control technology (BACT) analyses that 

have been performed pursuant to PSD regulations. Section 6 – Air Quality Impact Analysis 

provides a summary of the Class I and Class II ambient air quality modeling methodology and 
Outer Continental Shelf Title V and PSD Permit Application 

Introduction 1-2 ENVIRON 

results, as well as the additional impacts analysis, that are required by PSD regulations. 

Appendix A includes the completed permit application forms for each proposed operating 

scenario, as required by 40 CFR 71. Appendix B contains detailed emissions calculations 

documenting the potential emissions associated with each operating scenario. Appendix C 

includes documentation associated with the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) that 

support the issuance of the proposed permit. Appendix D presents the BACT cost effectiveness 

analyses that were performed in support of the BACT determinations identified in this permit 

application. Finally, Appendix E documents the ambient air quality analysis that has been 

performed for the proposed permit. 

Lastly, Statoil does not consider any information included in this application to contain trade 

secrets or commercial or financial information which is exempt from disclosure under 5 United 

States Code (U.S.C.) § 552(b)(4).