Assessment of Existing OCS Platforms

MMS Requirement – NTL 2003-G16

Published on February 19, 2004

Summary

MMS (GOMR) has determined that each existing OCS platform in the Gulf of Mexico that has been in service for more than five years must now undergo an assessment in accordance with API RP 2A-WSD, section 17, 21st Edition. This assessment will help to ensure the integrity of platform structures in the Gulf of Mexico, which are a strategic national asset. The assessment process is primarily conc erned with the platform’s ability to survive wind, wave and current conditions based on the 100-year design criteria.

Deadline

The initial phase of the assessment process, due by June 1, 2004, involves determining the exposure category of the platform, and evaluating if there have been changes to the platform that trigger further analysis. If further analysis is required, a review of the platform’s design and/or an ultimate strength analysis must be completed by June 1, 2005 or June 1, 2006. If the platform fails this analysis, mitigation or abandonment of the platform will be necessary. All analysis and mitigation of analysis failures must be completed by November 1, 2006. See Table 1 for more detail on the requirement deadlines.

Requirement in the Initial Phase

Platform operators are required to assemble platform, well and pipeline information for each offshore facility, determine the platform’s exposure category and submit a completed OSTS Assessment Report to the regional MMS office. MMS has developed a specific Excel-based spreadsheet format for this purpose. (Though the reporting requirement and deadline are in effect, they may be subject to the rulemaking process, and JCC will carefully monitor the resulting rule and adjust our services if necessary).

JCC Platform Assessment Report Services JCC is offering to prepare the OSTS Assessment Report for your platforms with the assistance of a thirdparty structural engineering consultant (Greg Seipel & Associates). JCC and Greg Seipel & Associates have commenced work on approximately 10% of the platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, with additional capacity to serve you. Our goal is to excel in providing professional services, and in doing so, exceed our clients’ expectations for service, quality and value.

Deliverable

JCC will provide the following:

OSTS Assessment Report Spreadsheet, delivered to the MMS
Environmental & Infrastructure Risk Assessment Matrix (used to determine the platform’s exposure category)
Platform Evaluation Form, containing:
1. Platform information
2. Pipeline information
3. Scaled map of platforms, wells and pipelines
Copy of NTL 2003-G16 for your files

In addition to fulfilling the requirements of the NTL, the delivered reports will be useful for a wide variety of purposes, including:

Annual platform surveys
Decommission planning
Pipeline locations
Verification of MMS database records

Pricing

JCC is offering a fixed price of $400 per facility, plus any travel expenses, to simplify budgeting for the project. Terms of the invoice will be net 30, upon delivery of the report.

Contact Information

For more information on how JCC can help you meet this requirement, contact:

William McCarson, Project Manager, J. Connor Consulting, Inc.
Office: 281-578-3388
Mobile: 713-906-9849
E-Mail: william.mccarson@jccteam.com

To view this page online, please visit http://www.jccteam.com/RegAlerts/021904.aspx.

This Regulatory Alert was prepared by J. Connor Consulting, Inc. to advise our clients of impending deadlines and applicable regulatory requirements. No official agency policy is implied.