Minerals Management Service (MMS) Director Liz Birnbaum highlighted the 20th anniversary of the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region's Unannounced Oil Spill Drill Program. The first unannounced drill with an offshore oil and gas operator in the Gulf was held on July 25, 1989.

Since the first unannounced drill, an additional 273 drills have been held in the Gulf. The MMS designs the drill to exercise an oil and gas and pipeline operator's Oil Spill Response Plan and evaluates its spill management team's effectiveness in responding to a simulated spill event.

"While preventing oil spills is our top priority throughout the offshore energy exploration and extraction process, operators must be ready to respond to a spill event," Birnbaum said. "The Unannounced Drill Program enables MMS to monitor and enhance the operators' response capabilities throughout the Outer Continental Shelf."

Tags: Minerals Management Service