Page 31: of Marine News Magazine (August 2011)

30 32

www.marinelink.com MN31tor Michael Bromwich, complaining about inaccurate, federal informationon Gulf drilling permits. In their July study, IHS CERA and IHS Global Insight said an analysis of BOEMRE data provided several find- ings. The current pace of plan and permit approvals is significantly below historical norms and indicates that the process is not working smoothly,? researchers said. And the growing backlog of plans awaiting approval indicates that the industry remains ready to invest as quickly as it is permitted to do so.? RIGSAND VESSELSADOPTOILCONTAINMENT SYSTEMSOne way to get your vessel hired in the Gulf is to outfit it with spill- response equipment. After BP's acci- dent, BOEMRE issued new regula- tions requiring that rig operators be able to respond to subsea leaks and surface spills. In late July of this year, two Hornbeck Offshore Services ves- sels were added to the fleet of ships that can respond to a Gulf accident, the Marine Spill Response Corp. said. MSRC is a non-profit company that was established in 1990. Hornbeck's HOS Centerline and HOSStrongline are vessels with oil-skim- ming systems, ocean boom, support boats and navigational systems thatcan support skimming at night and in stormy weather. Hornbeck, based in Covington, La., in late May posted its first quarterly loss in over six years, but said it was diversifying by moving vessels into foreign markets. This summer, BOEMRE director Bromwich said his agency will issue more safety measures for Gulf rigs soon. At the fifth, annual World National Oil Companies Congress in the U.K. in late June, he said offshore drilling in the U.S. and around the world will never be the same as it was a year ago. Changes that we have put in place will endure because they were urgent, necessary and appropriate.? More regulations will be issued, but not at the frantic pace of the past year, he said. In late July, a U.S. team examin- ing the causes of the BP spill delayed the release of a final report as it con- tinued weighing evidence. BOEMRE and the U.S. Coast Guard were expected to issue results of a joint investigation on July 27 but said they needed more time. The Gulf marine industry wants additional rigs to start drilling soon. Laborde said the oil companies, the rig operators and theenergy-service companies are all anx- ious and ready to get back to work. This would create jobs, improve the economy, increase government rev- enues through royalty income and taxes, and enhance our national secu- rity by lessening dependence on for- eign oil.? Where the Gulf oil and marine industries go from here is up to decision makers in Washington, he said.