Offshore staff

NEW ORLEANS -- Minerals Management Service (MMS) has named Lars Herbst as the new regional director of the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) region.

Herbst will manage the leasing of OCS lands off five Gulf Coast states for oil, gas, and other mineral development. He will also supervise the regulation of operations and protection of the environment on more than 7,000 leases, which involve more than 4,000 platforms. He will oversee a staff of 550, including geologists, geophysicists, petroleum engineers, biologists, environmental scientists, and offshore inspectors.

"Lars Herbst brings to the position of regional director a wealth of knowledge and a great perspective to the job," says Randall Luthi, MMS director. "His past managerial experience provides a firm foundation to guide the region, while his recent efforts to work cooperatively with industry and other federal agencies to increase safety will help ensure that the region continues to be a vital source of energy for the nation."

10/05/2007