[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 135 (Wednesday, July 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38191-38193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18766]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Environmental Documents Prepared for Proposed Oil and Gas 
Operations on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of the Availability of Environmental Documents.

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    Prepared for OCS Mineral Proposals on the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

SUMMARY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), in accordance with Federal 
Regulations (40 CFR Section 1501.4 and Section 1506.6) that implement 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), announces the 
availability of NEPA-related Site-Specific Environmental Assessments 
(SEA's) and Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI's), prepared by 
MMS for the following oil and gas activities proposed

[[Page 38192]]

on the Gulf of Mexico OCS. This listing includes all proposals for 
which the FONSI's were prepared by the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region in the 
period subsequent to publication of the preceding notice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Acitivity/operator                  Location               Date   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shell Pipeline Corporation,     Viosca Knoll Area, Blocks       04/17/98
 Pipeline Activity, SEA No. G-   786, 785, 829, 828, 827,               
 19666.                          826, 782, 781, 780, 779,               
                                 736, 735, and 734; Main                
                                 Pass Area, South and East              
                                 Addition, Blocks 283, 284,             
                                 285, 286, 287, 288, and                
                                 289; Lease OCS-G 19666, 67             
                                 to 73 miles south of                   
                                 Mobile County, Alabama.                
Viosca Knoll Gathering          Main Pass Area, South and       04/17/98
 Company, Pipeline Activity,     East Addition, Blocks 261              
 SEA No. G-19675.                and 260, Lease OCS-G                   
                                 19675, 61 miles South of               
                                 Baldwin County, Alabama.               
Amoco Production Company,       Viosca Knoll Area, Blocks       04/01/98
 Pipeline Activity, SEA Nos. G-  915, 871, 827, 826, 782,               
 19681 and G-19682.              738, 694, and 693; Main                
                                 Pass area, South and East              
                                 Addition, Blocks 259, 260,             
                                 249, 248, and 225; Leases              
                                 OCS-G 19681 and 19682, 50              
                                 miles east of Plaquemines              
                                 Parish, Louisiana.                     
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line  Main Pass Area, South and       05/21/98
 Corporation, Pipeline           East Addition, Blocks 259,             
 Activity, SEA No. G-20503.      260, and 261, Lease OCS-G              
                                 20503, 61 miles south of               
                                 Baldwin County, Alabama.               
Walter Oil and Gas              Garden Banks Area, Blocks       06/05/98
 Corporation, Pipeline           179, 180, and 136; High                
 Activity, SEA No. G-20499.      Island Area, East                      
                                 Addition, South Extension,             
                                 Blocks A-397, A-385, and A-            
                                 384; Lease OCS-G 20499,                
                                 110 miles south of Cameron             
                                 Parish, Louisiana.                     
Shell Offshore, Incorporated,   High Island Area, South         06/11/98
 Pipeline Activity, SEA No. G-   Addition, Blocks A-545, A-             
 20510.                          548, and A-547, Lease OCS-             
                                 G 20510, 103 miles south               
                                 of Jefferson County, Texas.            
Union Oil Company of            Mobile Area, Block 871,         05/14/98
 California, Exploration         Lease OCS-G 13044, 6.9                 
 Activity, SEA No. N-6029.       miles south of Baldwin                 
                                 County, Alabama.                       
Union Oil Company of            Mobile Area, Blocks 1004,       05/15/98
 California Exploration          1005, and 1006, Leases OCS-            
 Activity, SEA No. N-6057.       G 15406, 15407, and 15408,             
                                 15 miles south of Baldwin              
                                 County, Alabama.                       
Exxon Company, U.S.A.,          East Breaks Area, Blocks        06/19/98
 Development Activity, SEA No.   945, 946, and 988, Leases              
 N-6134U.                        OCS-G 8211, 8212, and                  
                                 8213, 126 miles south-                 
                                 southeast of Brazoria                  
                                 County, Texas.                         
Chevron U.S.A., Exploration     Viosca Knoll Area, Block        06/19/98
 Activity, SEA No. N-6173.       390, Lease OCS-G 15429, 41             
                                 miles south of Baldwin                 
                                 County, Alabama.                       
Union Oil Company of            Mobile Area, Blocks 915,        04/22/98
 California, Development         917, 961, and 962, Leases              
 Activity, SEA No. S-4525U.      OCS-G 5752, 5754, 5761,                
                                 and 12115, 9.5 miles south             
                                 of Baldwin County, Alabama.            
Chevron U.S.A., Development     Mobile Area, Blocks 862,        06/29/98
 and Pipeline Activity, SEA      863, and 864, Leases OCS-G             
 No. S-4667.                     5748, 5063, and 5064, 5-7              
                                 miles south of Baldwin                 
                                 County, Alabama.                       
Vastar Resources, Inc.,         Viosca Knoll Area, Block        06/01/98
 Exploration Activity, SEA No.   1001, Lease OCS-G 16560,               
 R-3202.                         56 miles southeast of                  
                                 Plaquemines Parish,                    
                                 Louisiana.                             
Union Pacific Resources         Galveston Area, Block A-        06/19/98
 Corporation, Structure          125, Lease OCS-G 9055, 56              
 Removal Operation, SEA Nos.     miles southeast of                     
 ES/SR 97-063A.                  Brazoria County Texas.                 
Forest Oil Corporation,         West Cameron Area, Block        03/05/98
 Structure Removal Operations,   44, Lease OCS-G 6566, 7                
 SEA Nos. ES/SR 97-147A          miles south of Cameron                 
 through 97-149A.                Parish, Louisiana.                     
Taylor Energy Company,          Vermilion Area, Block 247,      04/24/98
 Structure Removal Operations,   Lease OCS-G 2080, 56 miles             
 SEA No. ES/SR 98-017.           south of Vermilion Parish,             
                                 Louisiana.                             
Chevron U.S.A., Structure       Main Pass Area, Blocks 42       04/22/98
 Removal Operations, SEA Nos.    and 127, Leases OCS 0375               
 ES/SR 98-018 through 98-022.    and OCS-G 1312, 25 to 32               
                                 miles east of Venice,                  
                                 Louisiana.                             
Chevron U.S.A., Structure       Eugene Island Area, Block       04/24/98
 Removal Operations, SEA No.     252, Lease OCS-G 0983, 46              
 ES/SR 98-023.                   miles south-southwest from             
                                 the shoreline of                       
                                 Terrebonne Parish,                     
                                 Louisiana.                             
Chevron U.S.A., Structure       Vermilion Area, Block 24,       05/14/98
 Removal Operations, SEA No.     Lease OCS-G 3543, 7 miles              
 ES/SR 98-024 and 98-025.        south of Vermilion Parish,             
                                 Louisiana.                             
Samedan Oil Corporation,        West Cameron Area, Block        04/24/98
 Structure Removal Operations,   458, Lease 5332; High                  
 SEA No. ES/SR 98-027 and 98-    Island Area, Block A-515;              
 028.                            Lease OCS-G 4189, 78 miles             
                                 south of Cameron Parish,               
                                 Louisiana and 80 miles                 
                                 south of Jefferson County,             
                                 Texas.                                 
Forecenergy Inc., Structure     High Island Area, Block A-      04/30/98
 Removal Operations, SEA No.     490, Lease OCS-G 3117, 103             
 ES/SR 98-038.                   miles south of Jefferson               
                                 County, Texas.                         
Forest Oil Corporation,         South Marsh Area, Block         05/22/98
 Structure Removal Operations,   143, Lease OCS-G 1217, 84              
 SEA No. ES/SR 98-039A.          miles south of St. Mary                
                                 Parish, Louisiana.                     
Forest Oil Corporation,         South Marsh Island Area,        05/14/98
 Structure Removal Operations,   Block 143, Lease OCS-G                 
 SEA No. ES/SR 98-039.           1217, 84 miles south of                
                                 St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.            
EEX Corporation, Structure      Brazos Area, Block 455,         05/20/98
 Removal Operations, SEA No.     Lease OCS-G 7220, 18 miles             
 ES/SR 98-040.                   south of Matagorda County,             
                                 Texas.                                 
Chevron U.S.A., Structure       Mobile Area, Block 862,         05/22/98
 Removal Operations, SEA No.     Lease OCS-G 5063, 3 miles              
 ES/SR 98-041.                   south of Jackson County,               
                                 Mississippi.                           
Vastar Resources, Inc.,         Mustang Island Area, Block      05/01/98
 Structure Removal Operations,   789, Lease OCS-G 12761, 24             
 SEA No. ES/SR 98-042.           miles south of Harbor                  
                                 Island, Texas.                         
Murphy Exploration &            Matagorda Island Area,          06/01/98
 Production Company, Structure   Blocks 589 and 604, Leases             
 Removal Operations, SEA Nos.    OCS-G 10196 and OCS-G                  
 ES/SR 98-043 through 98-046.    6037, 20 miles southeast               
                                 of Port O'Connor, Texas.               
The Houston Exploration         Galveston Area, Block 297,      05/20/98
 Company, Structure Removal      Lease OCS-G 12501, 32                  
 Operations, SEA No. ES/SR 98-   miles south of Galveston,              
 047.                            Texas.                                 
Forcenergy Inc., Structure      South Marsh Island Area,        06/03/98
 Removal Operations, SEA Nos.    Block 11, Lease OCS-G                  
 ES/SR 98-048 through 98-053.    1182, 44 miles south of                
                                 Vermilion Parish,                      
                                 Louisiana.                             
Santa Fe Energy Resources,      West Cameron Area, Block        06/23/98
 Inc., Structure Removal         141, Lease OCS-G 13559, 20             
 Operations, SEA No. ES/SR 98-   miles south of Cameron                 
 054.                            Parish, Louisiana.                     

[[Page 38193]]

                                                                        
Ocean Energy, Inc., Structure   Eugene Island Area, Block       06/17/98
 Removal Operations, SEA No.     301, Lease OCS-G 14476, 64             
 ES/SR 98-055.                   miles south of Terrebonne              
                                 Parish, Louisiana.                     
Newfield Exploration Company,   West Delta Area, Block 20,      06/23/98
 Structure Removal Operations,   Lease OCS-G 7789, 18 miles             
 SEA No. ES/SR 98-057.           south of Plaquemines                   
                                 Parish, Louisiana.                     
Burlington Resources Offshore   Eugene Island Area, Blocks      06/09/98
 Inc., Structure Removal         93 and 94, Leases OCS 0228             
 Operations, SEA Nos. ES/SR 98-  and OCS-G 5488, 26 miles               
 061 and 98-062.                 south of St. Mary Parish,              
                                 Louisiana.                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Persons interested in reviewing environmental documents for the 
proposals listed above or obtaining information about EA's and FONSI's 
prepared for activities on the Gulf of Mexico OCS are encouraged to 
contact the MMS office in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Public Information Unit, Information Services Section, Gulf of Mexico 
OCS Region, Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, 
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, Telephone (504) 736-2519.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MMS prepares EA's and FONSI's for proposals 
which relate to exploration for and the development/production of oil 
and gas resources on the Gulf of Mexico OCS. The EA's examine the 
potential environmental effects of activities described in the 
proposals and present MMS conclusions regarding the significance of 
those effects.
    Environmental Assessments are used as a basis for determining 
whether or not approval of the proposals constitutes major Federal 
actions that significantly affect the quality of the human environment 
in the sense of NEPA Section 102(2)(C). A FONSI is prepared in those 
instances where MMS finds that approval will not result in significant 
effects on the quality of the human environment. The FONSI briefly 
presents the basis for that finding and includes a summary or copy of 
the EA.
    This notice constitutes the public notice of availability of 
environmental documents required under the NEPA Regulations.

    Dated: July 8, 1998.
Chris C. Oynes,
Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.
[FR Doc. 98-18766 Filed 7-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-M