Page 22: of Marine News Magazine (December 2017)

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COLUMN OP/ED

What Hurricanes Teach Us About

Energy Security

By Randall Luthi, President,

National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA)

After a few years of relative calm, the Continental Shelf (OCS), 97% of offshore facilities survived 2017 hurricane season wreaked havoc the record-breaking storms, every single offshore safety valve in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, held, there were no signi? cant spills from offshore facilities causing widespread damage and human and there were no deaths or injuries among offshore workers. suffering, and exposing the vulnerabilities In the aftermath of such devastating storms, offshore and strengths of American energy secu- companies have a proud history of providing critical support rity. As the ? ood waters from Hurricane during disaster recovery efforts onshore. Following Hurri-

Harvey receded and Gulf coast residents cane Harvey, offshore companies again stepped up, provid- embarked on the arduous road to recov- ing support services, emergency funds, housing and other

Luthi ery, the offshore energy industry took assistance to their employees, and donating tens of millions stock and counted its losses and blessings. of dollars to the Red Cross and similar organizations.

Offshore energy facilities faired remarkably well com- While we can be justi? ably proud of our industry’s safety, pared to onshore energy facilities, many of which suffered environmental and philanthropic record, natural disasters catastrophic damage from ? ood waters. In fact, there were like Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Nate also expose no reported deaths or injuries among offshore workers, no the vulnerability of America’s offshore energy security. Co- reported damage to offshore facilities and no reported spills incidentally or not, we have placed the vast majority of our from offshore facilities. The same held true after Tropical offshore energy eggs in one basket – the Gulf of Mexico.

Storm Nate barreled through the Gulf several weeks later. Energy companies working in the Gulf of Mexico pro-

This is a testament to how well the offshore industry pre- duce about 1.7 million barrels of crude oil and 3.2 mil- pares for and responds to hurricanes. Even during the dev- lion cubic feet of natural gas per day. The Bureau of Safety astating 2005 storm season when Hurricanes Katrina and and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) estimated that

Rita ravaged the vital energy infrastructure of our Outer 24.5% of oil production and 26% of natural gas produc- ©Adobestock credit: Danial

December 2017 22 MN