NEW ORLEANS – As part of Department of the Interior’s commitment to ensuring that offshore oil and gas operations are conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) inspectors and engineers conducted an offshore regulatory pre-production inspection of Murphy Oil’s King’s Quay floating production system (FPS) platform on Feb. 2-3. The facility, a semi-submersible FPS, is now currently moored in Green Canyon Block 433 in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, about 175 miles south of New Orleans.
“The first offshore follow-up inspection is a very crucial time in the installation of a new production platform in the Gulf,” said BSEE Houma District production supervisor Micah Charpentier. “It is vital that our team follows up on items or discrepancies onboard the facility including processes, parts installations, components, and safety devices to ensure they represent those of the initial permit submitted by the operator.”
BSEE conducted an initial dockside pre-production inspection of King’s Quay in Ingleside, Texas in September 2021, which was required before the platform could sail to its final mooring site. During the dockside inspection, inspectors verified that safety equipment, components, and production processes aboard the structure were constructed as planned, met industry standards, and complied with federal regulations. Corrections to any discrepancies or items of concern were verified during this offshore inspection to ensure all safety and environmental systems are properly in place before King’s Quay can begin production. The facility has the capacity to process 80,000 barrels of oil per day and 100 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
“This follow-up inspection is another example of the vital work that BSEE does to ensure that new oil and gas production facilities are safe and environmentally sound,” said BSEE Houma District Manager Amy Pellegrin.
BSEE Gulf of Mexico Region Interim Director Bryan Domangue recognized the inspection team and their inspection process. “We at BSEE are extremely proud to contribute to the ongoing pledge of environmentally safe energy production in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Domangue.
Having completed the follow-up initial offshore pre-production inspection, the King’s Quay FPS is on schedule to start regular production in mid-2022 and is expected to handle production from the Khaleesi, Mormont, and Samurai fields within the Green Canyon area.
BSEE works with other agencies in the U.S. Department of Interior to continually sustain a comprehensive, diverse energy portfolio which includes both renewable energy and oil and gas. BSEE also supports rigorous national standards and operating practices to ensure the safety of offshore workers as well as environmental protection in the placement of equipment and facilities.
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BSEE production engineers and inspectors trace piping for flow path with Murphy Oil’s King’s Quay operations members Feb. 2, 2022. BSEE is conducting an offshore pre-production inspection of the floating production system (FPS), which is moored approximately 100 nautical miles off the coast of Houma, LA in Block 433 of Green Canyon. |
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Emily Empert, a Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) production field engineer from the Houma, La. District, inspects the area surrounding the production header aboard Murphy Oil’s King’s Quay Feb. 2, 2022. BSEE is conducting an offshore pre-production inspection of the floating production system (FPS), which is moored approximately 100 nautical miles off the coast of Houma, LA in Block 433 of Green Canyon. |
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