As anticipated previously, the en banc Fifth Circuit in In re Larry Doiron, Inc., jettisoned the two-tier, six-factor test of Davis & Sons, Inc. v. Gulf Oil Corp. in favor of a new “simplified” test to determine whether “a contract for the performance of specialty services to facilitate the drilling or production of
Offshore Supply Vessel Market Turnaround May Be In Sight, But You Need a Long Telescope to See It
I attended an excellent conference on March 3, 2016, put on by WorkBoat® exploring the “OSV Capital Outlook for 2016 and Beyond”. The conference featured a diverse and highly experienced panel of speakers including investment and marketing analysts and consultants, vessel operators, shipyard executives and WorkBoat® editors. You may want to read WorkBoat’s®
Greece Initiates Offshore Oil and Gas Tender Process
Greece has initiated its tender process for offshore oil and gas (hydrocarbons) exploration as of August 26, 2014. The Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change is seeking bid applications for its offshore oil and gas exploration in 20 block areas in the Ionian Sea and south of Crete. The Greek government is hoping
BOEM Five Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program Under Attack
The Center for Sustainable Economy, a non-profit public interest consulting firm, filed a lawsuit today against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in an attempt to halt that agency’s first approved five-year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program since the BP oil spill. The Program, which establishes a schedule for
BOEM Finding Advances Development of Mid-Atlantic Offshore Wind Farm; But Tailwinds are Behind Faster Moving Gulf Coast Projects in State Waters
On May 14, 2012, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced a finding of “no competitive interest” with regard to a proposed right-of-way grant area off the Mid-Atlantic coast for construction of an offshore wind energy transmission line.
Pressure on Hydraulic Fracturing Operations Continues to Rise
With 2011 in the rearview, businesses all over the country are looking forward to fresh start in 2012. But the opportunity to start fresh will elude natural gas producers partaking in hydraulic fracturing operations, as recent events in Ohio have caused additional uproar concerning the practice. On
EPA links hydraulic fracturing with groundwater contamination
Last month, I looked at the EPA’s November 2011 plan to study the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources and the implications of that plan for oil and gas producers. A new draft report issued by the EPA may be an early indicator that the EPA will, indeed, find that hydraulic fracturing
EPA proposes new vessel general permits–let the games begin.
The EPA issued drafts of two vessel general permits seeking to regulate discharge from commercial vessels (military and recreational vessels are excluded) on November 30. The draft permits – (1) Vessel General Permit for Discharges Incidental to The Normal Operation of Vessels (VGP) and (2) Small Vessel General Permit for Discharges Incidental to
Coast Guard proposes changes to Inspection of Towing Vessels regulations
The U.S. Coast Guard has proposed significant changes to the regulations concerning the Inspection of Towing Vessels and arguably eliminating the class of vessels formerly known as uninspected towing vessels. The Coast Guard has established a deadline of December 9, 2011, to receive public comments, which can be made at the following link: www.regulations.gov and
Competing Interests Collide Over Proposed New Legislation for Oil and Gas Rigs and Vessels
Rep. Jeff Landry (R-LA) has added a provision to the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2011, currently under consideration in Congress, which would require the owner/operator of any offshore rig or vessel engaged in drilling, plugging and abandoning or workover operations to maintain a standby rescue vessels within 3 nautical miles.
The provision