Dear Ocean Stakeholder,  August 8, 2013

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will be in Honolulu, Hawaii next week to educate both our BOEM OCS Renewable Energy Task Force members and the public on offshore renewable energy technologies best suited for areas on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf, and the multi-faceted complexities of such marine-based energy systems. Due to high levels of interest, we are pleased to announce that we are making the two-day event available online.

The free two-day training session will include presentations by experts from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Labotratory (NREL) on offshore wind and marine hydrokinetic (MHK) technologies and will also include technical expert panel discussions. For a copy of the final agenda, please click >>> here 

For more information on BOEM Pacific Region activities, please go to http://www.boem.gov/Pacific-Region/

Pacific Region

BOEM’s Pacific Region is responsible for managing the development of conventional (oil and natural gas) and renewable energy resources (wind, wave, ocean current) and mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in an environmentally and economically responsible way. The agency also manages the alternate use of existing oil and gas OCS facilities.

Pacific Region functions relative to these energy and mineral resources and uses include: lease management, plan administration, environmental science, environmental analysis, resource evaluation and economics.

The BOEM Pacific Region office is located in Camarillo, California.

• BOEM Pacific OCS Region Organizational Chart
• Regional FOIA Information

HIGHLIGHTS

• Notification: August 13-14, 2013 Public Workshop
  • Workshop Agenda
• Pacific Regional Ocean Uses Atlas (PROUA)
  • PROUA Oregon Fact Sheet
  • PROUA Washington Fact Sheet
• Dec. 5 2012 Hawaii Task Force Meeting presentations online

The Office of the Regional Director provides policy direction and management oversight for the performance of the full spectrum of responsibilities of the bureau in the Pacific Region, within the framework of applicable laws, regulations, delegations, directives and other guidelines.

The Office of the Environment is responsible for all aspects of the environmental program in the Region involving oil, gas, marine minerals, offshore renewable energy and alternate use of OCS facilities including planning and managing the Regional Environmental Studies Program, conducting environmental reviews and analyses and supporting the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) as it ensures operators comply with environmental requirements and protection measures.

• The Environmental Sciences Section is responsible for providing the information needed to predict, assess and manage effects from offshore energy and marine mineral exploration, development and production activities on human, marine and coastal environments.
• The Environmental Analysis Section is responsible for developing environmental documents under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (e.g., Categorical Exclusion Reviews, Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements) for proposed and ongoing OCS oil, gas and marine mineral activities, offshore renewable energy projects and alternate use of OCS facilities. The Section also coordinates environmental evaluation efforts with other agencies, including consultations under the Endangered Species Act and other environmental laws. In cooperation with BSEE, the Section ensures compliance with mitigations adopted through the NEPA process as well as environmental regulations.

The Office of Strategic Resources is responsible for providing management of existing oil and gas leases (including lease adjudication) and appropriate access to offshore energy and marine mineral resources through the leasing program, plan administration, resource evaluation, reserves estimation, geological and geophysical data acquisition and release and mapping services. The Office has the lead responsibility for the implementation of the Bureau's Renewable Energy Program and support for the National Ocean Policy and Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP) on the west coast.

• The Lease Management Section is responsible for providing energy and marine mineral lease opportunities, coordinating the review and analysis of leasing proposals (whether initiated by an applicant or by the bureau) and for coordination and administration of plans associated with exploration, development and production of energy and mineral resources on OCS leases; geological, geophysical and reservoir engineering analysis and evaluation of resources and reserves; managing the Financial Accountability and Risk Management (FARM) Program; and managing leases, including adjudication.
• The Renewable Energy Section is responsible for working closely with states regarding offshore renewable energy development, coordinating BOEM state task forces currently in Oregon and Hawaii and reviewing renewable energy activities proposed offshore these states as well as California and Washington. Regional planning is coordinated with the West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health and others to evaluate the potential benefits and impacts of renewable ocean energy projects. The section also coordinates and provides substantive support for CMSP. 

Announcements and Upcoming/Recent Events

• NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE: Presentations from December 5, 2012, Hawaii Outer Continental Shelf Task Force Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii

Historical Data

• Lease Summary Overview of lease activity in the Pacific OCS.
• Production Information on all wells drilled in the Pacific OCS Region.

REALITY:

• Administration Doubles Down on Expensive Offshore Wind
• Offshore Wind: The Enormously Expensive Energy Alternative