Interior's Report on OCS Shut-In and Flaring Wells Is Unnecessary

Gao ID: RCED-85-10 October 30, 1984

GAO evaluated the methodology that the Secretary of the Interior uses in allowing offshore oil and gas wells to be suspended from production or to burn off natural gas.

GAO found that: (1) the Department of the Interior relies primarily on data submitted by well operators, which is verified by Interior's Minerals Management Service; (2) the methodology used for allowing offshore oil and gas wells to be shut-in or to flare natural gas was reasonable; and (3) Interior's procedures were adequate to effectively monitor these activities. GAO also believes that, since Interior's annual report has not been useful to Congress, both the report and the GAO evaluation are no longer necessary.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Michael Gryszkowiec Team: General Accounting Office: Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division Phone: (202) 275-7756


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