Best in the Oil and Gas Industry to be Honored by the Interior Department in Houston, Texas, April 29

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

Desk Alert

FOR RELEASE:	April 28, 2003	Contact: Barney Congdon
		(504) 736-2595
		Caryl Fagot
		(504) 736-2590
		Debra Winbush
		(504) 736-2597

Best in the Oil and Gas Industry to be Honored by the Interior Department
in Houston, Texas, April 29

WASHINGTON--Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management Rebecca Watson, accompanied by the Director of Interior’s Minerals Management Service Johnnie Burton will honor individuals and organizations that have been recognized as the best of the best in the oil and natural gas, and solid minerals industry. The awards are part of the Minerals Management Service Annual Industry Awards Program and luncheon being held Tuesday, April 29, in Houston, Texas.

Assistant Secretary Watson will address an audience of more than 500 as she recognizes the best performers in the oil, natural gas and solid minerals industry for excellence in safe operations, environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility. Assistant Secretary Watson has administrative and management responsibility for the Bureau of Land Management, the Minerals Management Service and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. The three agencies have combined budgets of nearly $1.8 billion and more than 12,000 employees.

A native of Chicago, Watson holds three degrees from the University of Denver, where she received her B.A. degree Phi Beta Kappa magna cum laude in 1974. She earned her M.A. degree in 1975 from the University of Denver, School of Librarianship, and her law degree from the University of Denver, School of Law in 1978. She is listed in Who's Who in American Law and Who's Who in American Women.

Who: Rebecca W. Watson, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management
Johnnie Burton, Director of the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service

What: Minerals Management Service Annual Industry Awards Program and Luncheon

When: Tuesday, April 29, 2003, at noon

Where:        Westin Galleria Hotel,
                      5060 West Alabama St.
                      Houston, Texas

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 American Indian leases. These revenues totaled over $6 billion in 2002 and nearly $127 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-

MMS's Website Address: http://www.mms.gov