Deepwater Environmental Concerns
Authors: LaBelle Robert P. 
Published: October 2008

The U.S. Minerals Management Service is responsible for ensuring that offshore oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation occur in an environmentally sound manner. This paper outlines some environmental concerns associated with deepwater activities that are being addressed by the Bureau and industry. The policy, strategy and implementation of environmental reviews for prelease and postlease deepwater activity are outlined, along with a description of planned and ongoing research to address information needs. Opportunities for cooperative efforts among the stakeholders in offshore development are increasing and are essential to address important technical needs and regulatory requirements.

Introduction

Deepwater exploration and development in the Gulf of Mexico hold great promise for the United States in terms of both energy and economic benefits. To realize this potential, industry and regulators must meet the substantial challenge of maintaining environmental quality and protection during offshore operations. The advance into deep water is evidenced by industry's response to recent Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf lease sales. In March 1997, a lease sale in the central Gulf brought in a record number of bids, over half of which were located in water depths greater than 800 m. Five months later, another record-breaking lease sale in the western Gulf showed similar results, with over 75 percent of all tracts receiving bids in similar water depths. Likewise, exploration and development operations are rapidly moving into deep water, with over 1,300 active leases currently located in more than 1,500 m of water. There are currently over 30 deepwater rigs drilling in the Gulf in water depths greater than 300 m, including two drilling in over 1,500 m. The U.S. Minerals Management service (MMS) is responsible for ensuring that offshore oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation occur in an environmentally sound manner. The MMS's number one priority is ensuring that industry's excellent environmental and safety record is maintained as this new frontier is explored and developed. Our approach has been to work cooperatively with industry to gain understanding of this new environment and the technological challenges it poses. We recognize that a serious accident in deep water may undermine the public's confidence in the program, which could delay or jeopardize significant potential benefits.

(I) Environmental Concerns/Information Needs

The following outlines some of the major issues and information needs associated with deepwater activities. The issues address both localized effects to deep ocean habitats and impacts to coastal environments and economies. Socioeconomic Effects of Deepwater Activity on Ports and Coastal Support Facilities. Social and economic impacts of energy development are often the first felt and most strongly experienced of any impacts. While the Gulf of Mexico has been experiencing social and economic impacts of offshore oil and gas development activities since the mid-1950's, there are some differences in deepwater development that are beginning to be felt. Historically, the effects of offshore activities have been fairly diffused among Gulf coastal communities that serviced the offshore industry in one way or another. However, deepwater activities will have different service requirements, such as larger deeper supply boats.