Outer Continental Shelf Policy
Committee Meeting
May 26-27, 1999

Biographies of the Meeting Attendees

ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S REMARKS, DIRECTOR'S UPDATES, DEPUTY DIRECTOR'S UPDATES, AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR'S UPDATES

The Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management; the Director, Minerals Management Service; the Deputy Director, MMS; and the Associate Director, Offshore Minerals Management , addressed the Committee on current issues facing the Department, the MMS, and the Offshore Program.

SECRETARY'S LANDS LEGACY PROPOSAL

This presentation provided background information on the proposal and its current status. The Committee discussed the difference between this proposal and the alternative coastal impact assistance proposals at the end of the "Distribution of OCS Revenues" panel.

DISTRIBUTION OF OCS REVENUES

Representatives from the House and the Senate discussed the differences and similarities of each alternative coastal impact assistance proposal. The Committee discussed the differences of each proposal, and how they relate to the Lands Legacy Proposal.

FUTURE ROLE OF NATURAL GAS

The future demand of natural gas in the U.S. is expected to increase to 30 trillion cubic feet by 2010. The panel discussed the demand and supply scenarios of natural gas in the U.S. The panel members presented different perspectives on the future supply source and discussed possible OCS contributions to the Nation's future gas supply.

STATE OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

This presentation addressed the global, national, regional, and producers' perspectives on the oil and gas industry.

GEORGES BANK REVIEW BOARD: "WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE ON GEORGES BANK"

This presentation addressed the Canadian and the U.S. approaches to dealing with Georges Bank moratoria issues. The panel discussed the two different moratoria review processes and the pros and cons of each, as well as lessons learned.

EXXON VALDEZ: 10 YEARS AFTER THE OIL SPILL

This presentation provided an overview of the restoration and recovery efforts of the Prince William Sound in relation to the species, the people, the State and the industry. Has the Sound recovered? What does the future hold? What has been done to prevent future spills?

OUTLOOK FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION FROM ALASKA

This presentation addressed the future role of Alaska in the National Energy Policy, the environmental communities perspective; and the State and local government outlook.

CHALLENGES IN ARCTIC DEVELOPMENT

This presentation highlighted a few of the unique technological and environmental challenges that are faced during Arctic development. One presentation provided an overview of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and related tanker transportation in Prince William Sound. A second presentation discussed some of the technical issues faced in developing the Northstar field.

NORTH SLOPE INUPIAT VIEWS

This presentation addressed the Inupiat communities views on activity on the North Slope and present role of the regional and tribal governments, government to government relations between Native villages and Federal entities, future energy development onshore/offshore on the North Slope, the importance of subsistence, and traditional knowledge.

MMS REGIONAL UPDATES

The Regional Directors provided an update of activities in their respective areas. In the Alaska Region, the focus was on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System's decline curve, Northstar and Liberty Development Plan updates, and the status of OCS Alaska sales. In the Gulf of Mexico Region, the focus was on the deepwater drilling status, the latest production projection for 1999-2003, and the process for eastern Gulf sale. In the Pacific Region, the focus was on the California Offshore Oil and Gas Energy Resources Study and the status of turnover of existing Chevron operations.

HARD MINERALS UPDATE

Subcommittee Chairman Banino provided an update on the status of activities that the Hard Minerals Subcommittee is involved in and other hard minerals activities including the recently signed Memorandum of Agreement between the MMS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

CONGRESSIONAL UPDATES

This update provided the status of the Coastal Zone Management Act Reauthorization and pending revised Regulations, and other timely congressional issues related to the OCS Program.