Notice to Lessees (NTLs)

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2002-G06, effective July 1, 2002. It provides a new schedule for the Eastern Gulf of Mexico drilling window program. Drilling Window Program The Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR), after consultation with the U.S. Air Force, established a drilling window program in 1991 for exploratory activities on oil and gas leases that were obtained through Lease Sales Nos. 79, 94, and 116 and that contain Lease Stipulation No. 5.

This Notice to Pipeline Right-of-way (ROW) Holders (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.101(a) and 30 CFR 250.103 and in accordance with 15 CFR 930.53(d) to provide notice and assistance regarding your compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) Federal consistency regulations when submitting OCS ROW pipeline applications to the Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR). This NTL supersedes NTL No. 2002-G15, effective December 20, 2002.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2002-G08, effective August 29, 2002. The table below summarizes the changes. The purpose of this NTL is to provide guidance on preparing Exploration Plans (EP’s) and Development Operations Coordination Documents (DOCD’s) that are required by current 30 CFR 250, Subpart B.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) regulations at 30 CFR 250.900(g) require that all OCS platforms be designed, fabricated, and installed in accordance with the provisions of the American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice for Planning, Designing, and Constructing Fixed Offshore Platforms – Working Stress Design, Twenty-First Edition, December 2000 (API RP 2AWSD). Section 17.2 of API RP 2A-WSD states that an existing platform should undergo an assessment process if one or more of the conditions noted in sections 17.2.1 through 17.2.5 exist.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and supersedes NTL No. 2004-G10, effective June 1, 2004. This NTL updates the information and guidance on obtaining access to the eWell Permitting and Reporting System (eWell) outlined in the attached Application Manual. It also announces the availability of additional electronic reporting features in Ewell.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2000-G14, effective August 29, 2000. It revises the Lake Charles District emergency beeper number and the Pipeline Section office number.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators and Pipeline Right-of-way Holders (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 to provide clarification and guidance for pipeline riser design, fabrication, and installation under the platform verification program specified in 30 CFR 250.909 through 918.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) in June 1998 implemented the gas production verification program. The Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) will continue to focus only on verifying production for the sales (royalty) meters. Under the requirements of 30 CFR 250.1203(b), you must provide MMS (when requested) with copies of the monthly gas volume statements for those meters used to determine gas sold and/or transferred.

You should contact the Rate Control Section to conduct business concerning 30 CFR 250, Subpart K, and to make oral requests on routine short-term flaring and venting under 30 CFR 250.140. Operators must document oral flaring and venting approvals in writing and send them to the Rate Control Section within 72 hours. An email or facsimile transmission will satisfy this documentation requirement. Note that Minerals Management Service District Offices are not authorized to approve flaring or venting.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is being issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 to update the marine trash and debris awareness training, recordkeeping and certification requirements. This NTL supersedes and replaces NTL No. 2003-G06, effective February 15, 2003, on this subject and applies to all existing and future oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION NTL No. 2007-G08 Effective Date: April 2, 2007 NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL AND GAS LEASES IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF, GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION Using a Motion Compensator when Conducting Coiled Tubing O

The purpose of this Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is to provide information concerning new filing procedures in obtaining a determination of well producibility (effective with the date of the determination). This necessitates the replacement of NTL No. 2000-G04 Effective Date January 28, 2000. Changes in the lease addendums beginning with lease OCS G-22500 (Lease Sale 178) no longer transfer a lease into minimum royalty status when a well qualifies in accordance with 30 CFR 250.115 or 30 CFR 250.116. These leases remain in rental status and the annual rental payments for future lease years become payable at the end of the lease year, until the start of royalty bearing production. In the lease year that royalty bearing production begins, royalties become payable in accordance with the lease instrument which specifies the royalty rate and minimum royalty requirements.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is issuing this Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103, 30 CFR 250.203(o) and 30 CFR 250.204(s) to update the guidelines on how you should implement measures to minimize the risk of vessel strikes to protected species and report observations of injured or dead protected species. In lieu of a formal observer program, this NTL provides specific guidelines you should follow to avoid injury to marine mammals and sea turtles. This NTL supersedes NTL 2003-G07 on this subject and applies to all existing and future oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has scheduled a one-day seminar on the definition and reporting of significant damage for offshore platforms. The MMS Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) will host the seminar in New Orleans on June 26, 2003 (see details below). Seminar Information: The goal of the seminar is to provide guidance and assistance to you in the determination of classifying damage found during underwater inspections as minor or major. We will be discussing the modifications and additions to the Office of Structural and Technical Support (OSTS) inspection reports that you are required to submit by November 1st of each year.

Archaeological resources are any material remains of human life or activities that are at least 50 years of age and that are of archaeological interest. Material remains include physical evidence of human habitation, occupation, use or activity including the site, location, or context in which such evidence is situated. Items of archaeological interest are those that may provide scientific or humanistic understanding of past human behavior, cultural adaptation, and related topics through the application of scientific or scholarly techniques.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is issuing this Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL), pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103, to explain how you implement seismic survey mitigation measures, including special ramp-up procedures and protected species observation and reporting. This NTL supersedes and replaces NTL No. 2002-G07, effective August 22, 2002, and NTL No. 2002-G07 (Addendum 1), effective October 15, 2002, on this subject.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is issuing this Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103, 30 CFR 250.203(o) and 30 CFR 250.204(s) to explain how you must implement measures to minimize the risk of vessel strikes to protected species and report observations of injured or dead protected species. This NTL supersedes NTL 2002-G14 on this subject and revises the protected species reporting procedures and contact information. This NTL applies to all existing and future oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

This NTL is issued to clarify the timing for submitting a request tor a lease or unit suspension. Authority and Background Pursuant to 30 CFR 250.171, "You must submit your request tor a suspension to the Regional Supervisor, and MMS must receive the request before the end of the lease tenn (i.e., end of primary term, end of the 180-day period following the last leaseholding operation, and end of a current suspension)."

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and supersedes NTL No. 98-27, effective December 1, 1998, and NTL No. 2002-G13, effective November 15, 2002, on this subject. This NTL supplements information from NTL 98-27 with additional guidance to prevent intentional and/or accidental introduction of debris into the marine environment, and revises NTL 2002-G13 to extend the deadlines for compliance and to limit the persons to whom and the facilities to which these requirements apply. This NTL applies to all existing and future oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators and Pipeline Right-of-way Holders (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2003-G01, effective January 13, 2003, and provides clarification and corrects and deletes certain references to the attachments to the NTL. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) is issuing this NTL pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and 30 CFR 250.106(b) and (c) to describe the inspections you need to conduct and the plans and reports you need to prepare because of the known and potential damage to OCS facilities caused by Hurricane Lili on October 2, 2002.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2001-G04, effective June 1, 2001, and is being issued to provide for remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys in an eighteenth grid area, covering a portion of the Eastern Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico. The NTL is issued according to 30 CFR 250.103 and provides guidance with regard to ROV surveys and reports in deepwater areas (water depths greater than 400 meters) of the Gulf of Mexico.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) is issuing this Notice to Lessees and Operators and Right-of-way Pipeline Holders (NTL) pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and 30 CFR 250.106(b) and (c) to describe the inspections you need to conduct and the plans and reports you need to prepare because of the known and potential damage to OCS facilities caused by Hurricane Lili on October 2, 2002.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103. It establishes guidelines for new mudline suspension wells drilled and completed as dry tree tiebacks to the surface or converted to subsea wells after October 25, 2006. This NTL only applies to wells drilled from bottom-supported drilling rigs on the Gulf of Mexico shelf.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), Offshore Minerals Management (OMM), Program Management Office (PMO), announces three presentation sessions on the OMM eGov Transformation Project. The first on December 3, 2002, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and two subsequent sessions on December 5, 2002, and December 6, 2002, in Houston, Texas. The presentations will be given by Mr. Gary Lore, Project Manager of OMM eGov Transformation Project.

Due to weather conditions, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) canceled the MMS Well Applications and Reporting Forms Workshop that was scheduled for September 26 in Houston, Texas (announced in NTL 2002-N09).

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103. It supersedes NTL No. 2005-G23, effective November 8, 2005. It provides a description and information regarding the status of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) subsequent to closing the temporary offices in Houston and Covington. This NTL is designed to assist you and provide guidance on the conduct of operations with the MMS GOMR.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION NTL No. 2006-G07 Issue Date: March 16, 2006 Effective Date: March 16, 2006 Expiration Date: until superseded NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS (NTL) OF FEDERAL OIL AND GAS LEASES AND PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY (ROW) HOLDERS ON THE O

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION NTL No. 2006-G03 Effective Date: February 10, 2006 Expiration Date: March 31, 2007 NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL AND GAS LEASES IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF, GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION Lease Term Extensions

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL 99-N03 and issues the latest version of form MMS-131, Performance Measures Data.
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) issued NTL 99-N03 to collect data on an annual basis on form MMS-131 related to a set of performance measures developed by a joint Government/ industry workgroup.

This Notice to Pipeline Right-of-way (ROW) Holders (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.101(a) and 30 CFR 250.103 and in accordance with 15 CFR 930.53(d) to provide notice and assistance regarding your compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) Federal Consistency Regulations when submitting OCS ROW pipeline applications to the Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR)

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is issuing this Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL), pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103, 30 CFR 250.203(o) and 30 CFR 250.204(s) to explain how you must implement measures to minimize the risk of vessel strikes to protected species and report observations of injured or dead protected species. This NTL applies to all existing and future oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and supersedes NTL No. 98-27, effective December 1, 1998, on this subject. This NTL supplements information from NTL 98-27 with additional guidance to prevent intentional and/or accidental introduction of debris into the marine environment. This NTL applies to all existing and future oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and supersedes NTL No. 99-G17, effective July 8, 1999, on this subject. It notifies you of the changes the Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) is making to the North American Datum (NAD) 83 Implementation Plan for the Gulf of Mexico.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and supersedes NTL No. 2004-G14, effective June 23, 2004, on this subject. It provides for the submittal of a report of more detailed information regarding production shut-ins.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and supersedes NTL No. 2000-G15, effective September 6, 2000, on this subject. It provides a backup method for you to provide hurricane evacuation and production curtailment statistics if the primary method is not functioning.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and supersedes NTL No. 97-07, dated March 1, 1997, on this subject. It makes minor technical corrections; updates regulatory citations; adds standard conditions for well workovers, completions, and recompletions; and provides for the use of a new form for reporting rig movements.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators and Pipeline Right-of-way Holders (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) regulations at 30 CFR 250.194, 250.203(b)(15), 250.203(o), 250.204(b)(8)(v)(A), 250.204(s), and 250.1007(a)(5) require Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lessees and operators and pipeline right-of-way holders to conduct surveys within areas of high archaeological potential and to submit the results to MMS. This NTL constitutes the written notice referenced in these regulations.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators and Pipeline Right-of-way Holders (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 98-30, effective March 1, 1999, and NTL No. 98-30, Addendum No. 1, effective April 25, 2001. It provides for subregional Oil Spill Response Plans (OSRP’s) in the Eastern Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico, allows you to submit OSRP’s in digital format on CD-ROM, adds guidance on calculating worst case scenario volumes, provides for a discussion of dispersant effectiveness over time, and makes a few minor technical amendments.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION NTL No. 2005-G19 Effective Date: October 18, 2005 Issue Date: October 18, 2005 Expiration Date: December 1, 2005 NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL, GAS, AND SULPHUR LEASES AND PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY HOLDERS IN THE

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2000-G21, issued on December 26, 2000. The table below summarizes the changes. The purpose of this NTL is to provide guidance on preparing EP’s and DOCD’s that are required by current 30 CFR 250, Subpart B regulations. (Although this NTL becomes effective on August 29, 2002, we will continue to accept EP’s and DOCD’s prepared according to the guidance in NTL No. 2000-G21 until November 29, 2002.)

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) issued NTL No. 2002-G07 on August 22, 2002, pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 to explain how you must implement seismic survey mitigation measures. That NTL applies to all seismic operations throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in waters greater than 200 m (656 ft) in depth. The measures apply to all on-lease seismic surveys you conduct under 30 CFR 250.201 and all off-lease seismic surveys you conduct under 30 CFR 251. This Addendum 1 modifies the Visual Observers section of NTL No. 2002-G07.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is issuing this Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL), pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 to explain how you must implement seismic survey mitigation measures. This NTL implements stipulation 5 (d) of the Final Notice of Sale for OCS Lease Sale 184. It also applies to all seismic operations throughout the Gulf of Mexico OCS in waters greater than 200 m (656 ft) in depth. These measures apply to all on-lease seismic surveys you conduct under 30 CFR 250.201 and all off-lease seismic surveys you conduct under 30 CFR 251.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103. It supersedes NTL No. 2005-G12 issued September 15, 2005. It provides a description and information regarding the status of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico Regional Office subsequent to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Many phone numbers have been changed.
The Regional Office has resumed most operations under its Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). MMS is committed to conducting operations in as normal a manner as possible.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2001-G02, effective March 1, 2001. It provides a new drilling window schedule and redefines one of the groups of leases (Group E) covered under the program.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) is issued pursuant to 30 CFR 250.103 and in accordance with 30 CFR 250.416(c)(3). It provides clarification and guidance for submitting the open hole information required by Items Nos. 14 through 20 of the Weekly Activity Report (Form MMS-133). Please be advised that the MMS is proposing to revise the Weekly Activity Report form and published the proposed form in the Federal Register on May 1, 2002 (67 FR 21718). Therefore, this NTL provides interim guidance pending comments and finalization of the revised form.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) in June 1998 implemented the gas production verification program. Currently, the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) will continue to focus only on verifying production for the sales (royalty) meters. Under the requirements of 30 CFR 250.1203 (formerly 30 CFR 250.183), Gas Measurement, we require you to submit copies of the monthly gas volume statements for sales meters used to determine gas sold and/or transferred for the months of February and March 2002.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 2000-G06, effective February 4, 2000, on this subject and makes minor technical amendments. It provides guidance and conveys the current MMS Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) procedures on SCADA systems. SCADA systems have varied designs and applications.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes NTL 98-05, dated July 1, 1998, on this subject. It reminds operators of the new notification and confirmation requirement for “eligible” leases, which was established in the final rulemaking revising the 30 CFR part 260 regulations (66 FR11512, published February 23, 2001). It also makes other minor changes and updates regulatory citations. We previously issued NTL 98-05 in response to questions concerning deepwater royalty relief for eligible leases.

This Notice to Lessees and Operators and Pipeline Right-of-way Holders (NTL) supersedes NTL No. 98-06, dated August 10, 1998, and Letters to Lessees and Operators dated November 30, 1990, March 17, 1995, and September 5, 1995, and makes technical amendments and updates cited regulatory authorities.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION NTL No. 2005-G21 Issue Date: October 25, 2005 Effective Date: October 25, 2005 Expiration Date: December 1, 2005 NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL, GAS, AND SULPHUR LEASES AND PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY HOLDERS IN THE