Environmental Design Criteria
Effective Date: 8/3/2001
 | U.S. Department of the Interior |
| Safety Alert No. 197 August 3, 2001 | Contact: Jim Regg |
Environmental Design Criteria
Minerals Management Service (MMS) regulations require the lessee (includes designated operator of the lease) to design equipment intended for use in the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf in a manner that provides for efficiency, safety of operation, and the protection of the environment. A recent letter from the DeepStar1
MMS has no direct knowledge of equipment designs based on inappropriate environmental design criteria. This Safety Alert is intended to remind operators, contractors and others in the offshore oil and gas industry that environmental criteria selected for OCS developments must be representative of the expected operating conditions that will be encountered during the facility or equipment lifetime. The DeepStar-developed environmental design criteria should not be used for any purpose other than the generic DeepStar studies for which they were specifically developed.
—GOMR—MMS—
1DeepStar is a multiphase deepwater technology study currently funded by 16 oil companies and more than 40 contributing manufacturers, vendor, consulting organizations, and contractors. The MMS and USCG interface with the DeepStar project through a Regulatory Issues Committee.