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Mineral Resources Management Division - Rigs to Reefs Workshop

Paul Thayer Executive Officer, California State Lands Commission

~ Based on Transcript ~

I'm very glad to see so many people here today.

The State Lands Commission is the state agency with responsibility for management of the state's tide and submerged lands and other navigable waters such as rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries and state waters (the ocean waters out to the 3-mile limit jurisdiction).

There are a number of oil and gas leases that have existed through the years. Activity in the state waters, and that industry, is sunsetting, and many of the facilities there have already been removed. But the bulk of those still await action, as do some of the big issues associated with their removal. Many of the offshore oil production and development facilities that presently are in state waters will soon be facing abandonment.

There are a number of issues associated with abandonment. The Commission will need to evaluate and determine what is the best method. We're here to discuss one of those proposed methods. That is, rigs to reefs -  the conversion of oil facilities to artificial reefs.

Many issues surround platform removal. Should all of the facilities be removed? Would removal cause more environmental problems than if they are left in place? Do facilities provide good habitat, or recreational opportunities, or not?

Last June when considering methods in mitigation for removal of  Belmont Island off Orange County, the Commission asked for additional information on rigs to reefs. This workshop responds to that request.

I would now like to introduce the moderator for this morning's workshop Marina Voskanian.

Ms. Voskanian is a petroleum engineer working in the Commission's Long Beach office. She's been primarily responsible for organizing this workshop. She's an expert and well-versed in the issues we will be discussing this morning. She teaches at the University of Southern California, has been very active in both the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council and the Society for Petroleum Engineers.