MMS Recognizes Companies for Safety Excellence in the Gulf of Mexico
The Minerals Management Service has announced the winners of its 2005 District Safety Award for Excellence honors in the Gulf of Mexico. The
SAFE Program recognizes and commends those operating companies that expend extra effort and conduct their operations in a safe manner, adhering to all regulatory requirements, employing trained and motivated personnel and taking extra steps to enhance the safety of operations.In naming this year’s winners, MMS Regional Director Chris Oynes, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, said "The winners of the District SAFE Awards have set very high standards for safety by their technical accomplishments and commitment to protection of their workers while conducting offshore oil and natural gas operations on the federal OCS." The 2005 SAFE award winners for each MMS District are the following:
| DISTRICT | HIGH ACTIVITY | MODERATE ACTIVITY | DRILLING | CONTRACTOR |
| New Orleans | Chevron USA, Inc. | Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners, LLC | Drilling Rig “Rowan Paris” | Baker Energy, Inc. |
| Houma | None |
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation |
Global Santa Fe Corporation | Baker Energy, Inc. |
| Lafayette | Devon Energy Production Company, LP |
Nexen Petroleum USA Inc. |
Rowan Drilling Company, Inc. |
Baker Energy, Inc. |
| Lake Charles |
Devon Energy Production Company, L.P. |
Dominion Exploration & Production Inc. |
Drilling Rig “Rowan Anchorage” |
Wood Group Production Services |
| Lake Jackson |
Exxon Mobil Corporation |
Spinnaker Exploration Company, LLC |
None |
Wood Group Production Service |
"Sound safety procedures and practices are as important as maintaining environmental integrity," said Oynes. "These industry leaders are setting standards for others to match. Their overall performance demonstrates that we can produce offshore energy resources in a safe manner."
MMS and the companies that lease OCS lands are very proud of the safety record for offshore oil and natural gas exploration, development, production, and transmission operations. "Our OCS development record has been one of safe and environmentally clean operations. The MMS has regulations in place that, along with new technologies employed by industry and constant vigilance by the operators, have created a safe production record," said Oynes.
The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act as amended charges MMS with the responsibility of inspecting offshore oil and gas operations. Through the MMS Offshore Inspection Program, offshore activities of oil and gas operators are inspected on a continuing basis, and enforcement actions are taken when MMS regulatory requirements are not met.
The SAFE award program was established by MMS in 1983 to recognize and honor companies that make a concerted effort to train and motivate their employees to conduct offshore operations in a safe manner. The agency recognizes two categories for production: high OCS activity and moderate OCS activity. Moderate level activities are generally from an independent, or a nonintegrated, non-affiliated company. Drilling and production contractors with exemplary OCS performance are also recognized. Winners are selected by each District office on the basis of their safety performance and compliance with applicable regulations within the District during the rating period.
MMS, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages offshore oil and gas exploration as well as renewable and alternative energy sources such as wind, wave, and solar on 1.76 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf while protecting the human, marine, and coastal environments. The OCS provides 30 percent of oil and 21 percent of natural gas produced domestically, and sand used for coastal restoration. MMS collects, accounts for, and disburses mineral revenues from Federal and American Indian lands, and contributes to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and other special use funds, with Fiscal Year 2005 disbursements of approximately $9.9 billion and more than $153 billion since 1982.