Nominated by: Jim Regg, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

The DeepStar Regulatory Issues Committee is the liaison group between the deepwater industry consortium's various technical committees and the primary agencies regulating offshore activities in the Gulf of Mexico (MMS and the U.S. Coast Guard). Allen Verret served as the co-chairman for the DeepStar Regulatory Issues Committee from 1993 through 1999. Mr. Verret retired from his Engineering Advisor position with Texaco in mid-1999. His position with both Texaco and DeepStar has brought him into close contact with MMS personnel as the industry has moved aggressively into the deep and ultra-deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

During DeepStar Phase IV, MMS placed several controversial items before the Regulatory Issues Committee. One initiative was DeepStar funding of an Environmental Impact Statement concerning the operation of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) systems in the Gulf of Mexico. Another was a study to compare the risk levels of existing GOM production facilities to an FPSO. Both are high priority initiatives from MMS's viewpoint. The success of these initiatives is due largely to Mr. Verret’s cooperative manner and ability to view issues from both the industry and regulatory perspectives. His skillful management of the resources available within DeepStar, and his ability to communicate in both technical and layman's terms have contributed to the successful implementation of both studies. Relationships established by Mr. Verret during earlier phases of DeepStar and the demonstrated reliability of his have efforts also contributed to his success as a corporate leader.

Mr. Verret has been a strong supporter of a continued dialogue between MMS and industry in the form of the Regulatory Issues Committee despite some opposition within DeepStar. Overall, Mr. Verret's efforts have resulted in communications between MMS and industry at the technical level that have contributed to safe and environmentally sound deepwater activities.