[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6281-6282]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2376]
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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Request for Comments Concerning the Effects of Removing Oil and
Gas Platforms and Structures in the Outer Continental shelf (OCS)
agency: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
action: Notice.
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summary: The MMS is assessing oil and gas platform and structure
removal techniques. The assessment will focus on safety and
environmental issues. This document requests comments regarding the
effects of using various removal techniques.
dates: The MMS must receive comments to this notice on or before March
3, 1995.
addresses: Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the
Interior; Minerals Management Service; MS-4700; 381 Elden Street;
Herndon, Virginia 22070-4817; Attention: Acting Chief, Technology
Assessment and Research Branch.
for further information contact: Charles E. Smith, Acting Chief,
Technology Assessment and Research Branch, telephone (703) 787-1559.
supplementary information: At the request of MMS, the Marine Board of
[[Page 6282]] the National Research Council (NRC) is assessing
techniques for removing fixed offshore structures. The assessment will
determine the occupational hazards and environmental effects of removal
processes, determine techniques to mitigate undesirable effects, and
appraise current regulations governing the removal of platforms and
structures located in the OCS. The study will evaluate both explosive
and nonexplosive removal techniques. The MMS is seeking comments
concerning methods for removing offshore structures, their hazards and
effects, and mitigating strategies. The MMS offers the following
information and questions to assist you in your response to this
notice.
Requirements for Removal
1. Current regulations require that lessees remove all structures
to a depth of 15 feet below the mud line. The MMS is inviting the
public, including other users of ocean space (boaters, fishers,
conservationists, etc.) to comment on the need for this requirement and
to bring to the attention of the NRC committee any information that MMS
should consider in assessing and updating this requirement.
Status of Technology
2. What are the alternatives to the removal of offshore structures?
3. What new approaches or improvements to existing techniques for
removing offshore structures are in development?
4. What are the requirements and/or limitations of the existing or
new techniques relative to different water depths or soil types?
Economic Costs
5. What are the comparative costs of explosive versus nonexplosive
techniques for removing offshore structures?
6. Are new technologies in development likely to alter the
comparative economics of alternative approaches?
Hazards
7. What are the environmental hazards of explosive and nonexplosive
removal techniques?
8. What are the occupational hazards of explosive and nonexplosive
removal techniques?
Impacts
9. What are the direct and indirect impacts on living marine
resources (fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, etc.) from explosive
removal of offshore structures (for example: direct=mortality, injury,
indirect=damage to habitats, damage to overall health and
survivability, etc.)?
10. What are the direct and indirect impacts of living marine
resources from nonexplosive removal of offshore structures?
11. How do alternative removal techniques affect other users of the
marine environment (fishers, recreational boaters, ship operators,
others)?
Regulations
12, Do other users of the marine environment have needs that MMS
should take into account in regulations for full or partial platform
removal and for site clearance?
13. Are existing MMS regulations and operating rules governing the
removal of offshore structures adequate?
Dated: January 25, 1995.
Thomas M. Gernhofer,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 95-2376 Filed 1-31-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-M
