U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

MMS Announces the 2003 International Offshore Pipeline Workshop

This notice announces that MMS will hold the International Offshore Pipeline Workshop on February 26-28, 2003.  MMS will co-host the workshop with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Research and Special Programs Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety.  The workshop is also supported by major oil and gas companies, offshore pipeline contractors, offshore service companies, and other related entities. The objective of the workshop is to bring together worldwide experience in operating and regulating offshore oil and gas activities in order to identify/disseminate pipeline issues and knowledge for continued safe and pollution free operations.

The workshop will start at 8 AM and end at 5 PM on the first two days.  The third day will be a half day with hours from 8:30 AM to noon.  It will be held at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel, 555 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130, U.S.A.

The workshop, through its keynote addresses, theme presentations, working groups and networking will share worldwide pipeline operating knowledge and identify what critical pipeline issues still need to be addressed.  The workshop is structured to allow maximum interface among industry experts and general attendees to discuss major issues that affect the offshore pipeline industry worldwide.  This will be accomplished by breaking out the attendees into various Working Groups to facilitate parallel discussions of all major industry issues.  Working groups will be further broken down into sub-groups to maximize the coverage of major issues.  This will allow individual attendees ample opportunity to provide their input and insights to actively participate in workgroup discussion.  Participation will include international pipeline interest from the following:  Government Agencies, Oil and Gas Industry, Consulting Firms, Construction Contractors, Fabrication Contractors, Manufacturers, Academic and Research Institutions, Other Related Entities.  For detailed information, visit http://www.projectconsulting.com/workshop2003/index.htm.

For further information and registration, please contact Ms. Tracy Olive, 3300 W. Esplanade Ave. S., Suite 500, Metairie, LA 70002, Phone: 504-833-5321, Fax: 504-833-4940, e-mail: workshop2003@projectconsulting.com

MMS is the federal agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages the nation's oil, natural gas and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf in federal offshore waters.  The agency also collects, accounts for and disburses mineral revenues from federal and Indian leases.  These revenues totaled nearly $10 billion in 2001 and more than $120 billion since the agency was created in 1982.  Annually, nearly $1 billion from those revenues go into the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the acquisition and development of state and federal park and recreation lands.

-MMS-GOM-