The US Minerals Management Service (MMS) has announced the winners of its 2007 District Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE) honors in the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Regions. The SAFE Program recognizes and commends those operating companies that expend extra effort and conduct their operations in a manner that adheres to all regulatory requirements, employs trained and motivated personnel, and takes extra steps to enhance the safety of operations.

Through the MMS Offshore Inspection Program, offshore activities of oil and gas operators are inspected on a continuing basis, and enforcement actions are taken when MMS regulatory requirements are not met. The SAFE award program was established by MMS in 1983 to recognize companies that make a concerted effort to train and motivate their employees to conduct offshore operations in a safe manner.

The agency recognizes two categories for production: high OCS activity (1,000 or more production system components and 10 million or more barrels of oil equivalent, BOE) and moderate OCS activity (from 100 to less than 1,000 or more production system components and from 1 million BOE to less than 10 million BOE). Drilling and production contractors with exemplary OCS performance are also recognized. Winners are selected by each District office on the basis of their safety performance and compliance with applicable regulations within the District during the rating period.

The 2007 SAFE award winners for each MMS Gulf of Mexico District are as follows:
New Orleans - High Activity - Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
Moderate Activity - Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners LLC
Production Contractor - Baker Energy Inc.
Houma - High Activity - Chevron USA Inc.
Drilling Contractor - Pride Offshore
Production Contractor - Danos & Curole Marine Contractors Inc.
Lafayette - High Activity - Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
Moderate Activity - Energy Resource Technology Inc.
Drilling Contractor - Rowan Drilling Company Inc.
Production Contractor - Evans Operating LLP
Lake Charles - High Activity - Chevron USA Inc.
Moderate Activity - Nippon Oil Exploration USA Limited
Drilling Contractor - Transocean Inc. High Island I
Production Contractor - Wood Group Production Services
Lake Jackson - High Activity - Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
Moderate Activity - GOM Shelf LLC
Drilling Contractor - Noble Drilling, US

Pacific Region Safe Award for Moderate Activity is given to Pacific Energy Resources Ltd.

MMS and the companies that lease OCS lands are very proud of the safety record for offshore oil and natural gas exploration, development, production, and transmission operations. The SAFE program reinforces to the public that companies conduct offshore oil and gas activities safely and in an environmentally sound manner.

“Our OCS development record had been one of safe and environmentally clean operations. Through constant vigilance, new technologies and continued enforcement of regulations, we will continue to improve on that already remarkable record,” said MMS Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management Chris Oynes.

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