BOEMRE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM:  ONGOING STUDIES

BOEMRE OCS Region:

Gulf of Mexico

Title:

Oil and Gas Infrastructure in the Mid-Atlantic Region (GM-09-08)

Planning Area:

Mid-Atlantic

Total Cost:  $378,808.00

Period of Performance:  FY 2009-2011

Conducting Organization:

Acadian Consulting Group

BOEMRE Contact:

Description:

Background:  On September 30, 2008, Congress allowed the 26-year legislative moratoria on offshore leasing to expire, opening up the Atlantic and Pacific Regions of the OCS to oil and gas leasing and potential development.  The current 5-YearLeasing Program 2007-2012 included Lease Sale 220 offshore of Virginia, but plans for the sale were cancelled after the Deepwater Horizon accident and subsequent oil spill.

The inherently essential element of all offshore energy development is the supporting infrastructure in coastal areas of the region. Further, the development of offshore oil and gas facilities is dependent on this onshore infrastructure. The onshore infrastructure is the location of, or vector for, the majority of ecological and socioeconomic effects. These effects derive from its construction, location, operations, and staffing. The specific characteristics of the various types of support infrastructure are critical to impact assessment.

The sponsored study, MMS 2004-027 - OCS-Related Infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico Fact Book, hereafter referred to as “GOM Infrastructure Fact Book” describes a wide range of existing onshore infrastructure supporting offshore activities in the Gulf of Mexico, including: platform fabrication yards; shipbuilding & shipyards; ports, support & transport facilities; waste management facilities; pipelines; pipe coating yards; natural gas processing plants; natural gas storage facilities; refineries; and petrochemical facilities. The study covers a standardized set of topics for each facility type that includes an introduction, a description of the infrastructure and a typical facility, industry characteristics, a review of the important regulations governing facility operations, and an examination of industry trends and outlooks. The GOM Infrastructure Fact Book is being updated by an ongoing study, Post Hurricane Assessment of OCS-Related Infrastructure and Communities in the Gulf of Mexico Region, which seeks a better understanding of the impacts that the tropical activity of 2005 may have on future onshore infrastructure development trends and outlooks.

Another BOEMRE study, Energy Market and Infrastructure Information for Evaluating Alternative Energy Projects for OCS Atlantic and Pacific Regions, addresses infrastructure questions as they pertain to alternative energy projects. There will be some overlap with some topics such as ports. However most other topics will not overlap at all; for example, alternative energy infrastructure does not include pipelines, pipe coating facilities, natural gas processing plants, natural gas storage facilities, refineries, or petrochemical plants.

Objectives:  To gather information on oil and gas infrastructure in support of planning, decision making, management, and environmental assessment related to the OCS Atlantic region.

Methods:  The methodology will consist of literature review, data collection from public sources, discussions with key industry representatives, and analysis and synthesis of the collected data and information. The research, report, and database design of this proposed study will mirror the GOM Infrastructure Fact Book and incorporate its lessons learned. First, it will direct substantial resources to the labor intensive effort of identifying and locating the infrastructure. Second, the study will reassess the definition of the infrastructure type “ports” and its relationship to “support & transport facilities.” This is a particularly important issue since ports are key vectors of effects and port capacity is critical to scenario development. This proposed study will develop more detailed descriptions of a “typical facility” that includes siting and construction as well as operations.

Products:  Final report, “Fact Book”, geo-referenced data, annotated references

Importance to BOEMRE:  This study will collect important information regarding existing and projected development of onshore oil and gas infrastructure that will support planning, decision making and environmental assessments related to the management of mineral resources on the OCS.

Current Status:  Work has been halted in response to the cancellation of Atlantic Lease Sale 220.   BOEMRE announced that the next 5-Yr Leasing Program will not include any oil and gas lease sales in the Atlantic region.   Therefore, the study is going to be modified accordingly and whatever work has been done so far will be compiled into a report for future use.

Final Report Due:

Publications:

Affiliated WWW Sites:

Revised date:

ESPIS

ESPIS - All completed ESP Studies:
Full Text, Online, Right Now!
Environmental Studies Program Information System