Page 11: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Mar/Apr 2013)

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Given the disastrous attempt to drill exploration wells in the

Arctic Ocean in 2012, the new Secretary should Voices suspend all activities on Arctic Ocean leases

Taking the reins. and undertake a

The Department of the Interior

US Department of the Interior thorough, independent is key to the future of American

Secretary Ken Salazar will assessment of what energy policy. President Obama resign his position at the end of went wrong and campaigned on implementing this month, after four years in how decisions were a true ‘all of the above’ the Obama White House. With made to allow such the nomination of REI chief energy plan for America. This risky activity. The

Sally Jewell last month,

OE opportunity could create millions

Secretary should focus asked: “On what key offshore of new jobs here at home and generate hundreds on comprehensive issue should the incoming of billions of dollars for the federal government at a planning for the Arctic secretary focus in 2013?”.

time we need it most. However, 87% of the offshore that includes identifying areas controlled by the federal government are important ecological still off-limits to oil and natural gas development.

Secretary Jewell areas, demonstrating

Increasing access to America’s vast energy will inherit an response capability, and resources should be a top priority for the next offshore US oil and fairly balancing risks

Interior Secretary.

gas leasing plan and bene? ts.

Jack Gerard, president and CEO of the that is not new. It

Susan Murray,

American Petroleum Institute restricts the oil and deputy vice president, natural gas industry

Paci? c, Oceana to the same areas of exploration that we’ve been searching for decades. In 2008, moratoria were lifted and the door opened to exploration for 85% of offshore

I would point to the Secretary of Interior’s areas. Instead of crossing the need to focus on the Arctic. It isn’t the highest threshold into American energy near-term potential energy source, but it has security, the current ? ve-year signi? cant long-term potential and will have implications for energy plan shuts the door on billions production and environmental protection across international borders. of barrels of oil, trillions of cubic

It is a key issue now, given the setbacks in Shell’s drilling and the feet of gas, billions in additional strict licensing regime.

federal revenue, and tens of

Neil Robert Brown, staff member, thousands of new jobs. Secretary

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Jewell should immediately initiate a truly new ? ve-year plan and uphold the President’s pledge to streamline the

As an industry we have a fundamental responsibility to manage our permitting process.

business in a safe and environmentally conscious manner. I would

Randall Luthi, president, challenge the Department of the Interior to look at processes that drive

National Ocean Industries ef? ciencies while satisfying the need to ensure that proper engineering

Association design, compliance, and due diligence is being conducted. Their focus needs to go beyond permitting and cover ef? ciencies across the entire well delivery process.

Go to WWW.OEDIGITAL.COM

See ‘On the Move’, page 77, for more on Dan Gualtieri.

( ) and give us your opinion on

Dan Gualtieri, vice president of Production Solutions, Knowledge Reservoir what the key offshore issue is.

oedigital.com March 2013 | OE 13 oe_voices_rev3.indd 13 01/03/2013 22:20