Industry braces for hurricane season
Offshore staff
HOUSTON -- With the start of hurricane season looming, officials from MMS, US Coast Guard, and API, briefed the media on the latest plans and preparations, from the MMS' Continuity of Operations Plan center in Houston. From there, the MMS will monitor hurricane-related activity including shutin and damage statistics.
"We are much better prepared than we were three years ago," said Walter Cruickshank, MMS deputy director. Much of the planning and preparation for offshore infrastructure has been around the "high consequence" area in the central GoM.
Sixty-five platforms identified in this area are under review, said Lars Herbst, MMS regional director of the GoM. Operators of the structures that do not meet the MMS' latest guidelines are required to submit mitigation plans by June 1. Plans might include anything from removing high risk equipment from the platform to jacking up the structure to meet new air gap requirements, officials said.
The MMS has adopted new API recommendations for the design of existing and future platforms, effective May 15, according to officials. Designs must meet the new 100-year storm criteria, which includes an increase in air gap.
Requirements and recommendations have been improved in the areas of mooring and station keeping as well, officials said. A number of the drilling contractors have already increased mooring lines from 8-point to 12- or 16-point. Jackup air gap requirements have increased as well.
Later this year, API will issue a final recommended practice for safe mooring operations, said Doug Morris, API director of upstream and industry operations.
Other mitigation plans for the high consequence area include re-routing production through alternate pipeline networks and barging oil in pre-approved areas, officials said. Drilling permits might be declined in this area during the height of the hurricane season as well.
Officials also updated the latest damage statistics from the 2005 hurricane season: 108 platforms were destroyed, 58 platform removal plans have been approved, and 792 wells were damaged; 312 have been plugged and abandoned and the rest will be shutin within the next 1-2 years.
05/16/2008