Managing America's Mineral Resources Offshore California, Oregon and Washington -- MMS Pacific Region

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the U.S. Department of the Interior was established in 1982 to manage the Nation's rich offshore mineral resources and collect and disburse the revenues from the recovery of both onshore and offshore Federal mineral resources. The MMS manages more than a billion offshore acres and collects billions of dollars in minerals revenues annually.

In carrying out these significant responsibilities, MMS has two major program areas. Offshore Minerals Management is responsible for managing mineral resources in a safe and environmentally sound manner on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The OCS consists of the submerged lands lying beyond the coastal State waters of the United States. (Generally, States have jurisdiction over the first 3 miles of the seafloor.) The Minerals Revenue Management collects and distributes the billions of dollars in bonuses, rents, and royalties from companies that lease and produce minerals from both onshore and offshore Federal lands and from Indian lands. Each program area is dynamic, complex, and highly visible. Each yields significant contributions to the Nation's energy needs and national security.

Three regional offices (Pacific, Alaska, Gulf of Mexico) are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations on the OCS. Policy oversight is provided by our offices in Washington, D.C. The Pacific OCS Region oversees the orderly development of Federal minerals resources, primarily oil and gas, offshore California, Oregon, and Washington. Currently, there are 83 leases managed by the Pacific OCS Region, all of which are off the coast of southern California. Twenty-three platforms are producing some 200,000 barrels of oil a day and about 171 million cubic feet of gas per day from 43 of the leases in the Region.

The Pacific OCS Region is organized by major program functions: Office of Development, Operations and Safety; Office of Environmental Evaluation; and Office of Resource Evaluation.

The Office of Field Operations (OFO) is responsible for the safety and environmental integrity of energy and minerals operations on the OCS. This office regulates industry operators on the Federal offshore in the areas of surveying, drilling for, and producing oil and gas. In doing so, it ensures compliance with Federal laws regarding exploratory, developmental, and operational activities relating to mineral development. ODOS is responsible for the offshore inspections program. Our inspectors are offshore every day of the year reviewing activities on the platforms and ensuring compliance with our regulations.

The Office of Environmental Evaluation (OEE) evaluates proposed and ongoing offshore oil and gas operations to ensure these activities are conducted in a manner that safeguards the environment. This office also conducts a comprehensive environmental studies program including identifying environmental information needs, developing environmental and socioeconomic studies, and monitoring these studies through completion. In addition, OEE manages the official lease records for the Pacific OCS Region.

The Office of Production Development & Resource Evaluation (OPDRE) evaluates oil, gas, and other mineral potential on the Federal OCS, using a wide range of geologic and geophysical information. ORE provides technical support for marine mineral investigations that include obtaining and interpreting offshore geologic and geophysical information. This information is used to map areas of prospective mineral deposits in order to develop estimates of these resources.

The staff of the Pacific OCS Region takes its stewardship responsibilities seriously. The Region is committed to managing the offshore mineral resources in concert with other Federal, State, and local agencies and in consultation with the public. We continue to strive to improve our relationships with key stakeholders and form meaningful partnerships to better manage the resources.