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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 214
BY REPRESENTATIVE DOVE AND SENATOR CHABERT AND REPRESENTATI VES
ABRAMSON, ANDERS, ARNOLD, AUSTIN BADON, BOBBY BADON,
BALDONE, BARRAS, BILLIOT, BROSSETT, BURFORD, HENRY BURNS, TIM
BURNS, BURRELL, CARMODY, CARTER, CHAMPAGNE, CHANDLER,
CHANEY, CONNICK, CORTEZ, CROMER, DANAHAY, DOERGE, DOWNS,
EDWARDS, ELLINGTON, FANNIN, FOIL, GEYMANN, GISCLAIR, GREENE,
GUILLORY, GUINN, HARDY, HARRI SON, HENDERSON, HENRY,
HOFFMANN, HOWARD, HUTTER, JOHNSON, SAM JONES, KATZ,
KLECKLEY, LABRUZZO, LAMBERT, LANDRY, LEBAS, LEGER, LIGI,
LITTLE, LOPINTO, LORUSSO, MILLS, MONICA, MONTOUCET, MORENO,
MORRIS, NOWLIN, PEARSON, PERRY, PONTI, POPE, PUGH, RICHARD,
RICHARDSON, RITCHIE, ROBIDEAUX, SCHRODER, SIMON, SMILEY,
GARY SMITH, JANE SMITH, TALBOT, TEMPLET, THIBAUT, TUCKER,
WADDELL, WHITE, WILLMOTT, AND WOOTON AND SENATORS
AMEDEE, B. GAUTREAUX, N. GAUTREAUX, HEBERT, MORRI SH, AND
SMITH
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to reconsider the directive that2
he issued which instituted six-month moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the3
Gulf of Mexico and to possibly alter that directive to minimize the negative4
economic impact of such directive on the already damaged economies of the state5
of Louisiana and the other oil and gas producing states along the Gulf of Mexico.6
WHEREAS, some fifty miles off the Louisiana coast, the Deepwater Horizon drilling7
rig experienced a massive and deadly explosion and fire on April 20, 2010, before sinking8
and leaking oil into the Gulf of Mexico; and9
WHEREAS, such explosion and fire resulted in the death of Gordon Jones, Roy10
Wyatt Kemp, Karl Kleppinger, Jr., Keith Blair Manuel, Shane Roshto, Adam Weise, Aaron11
Dale Burkeen, Jason Anderson, Donald Clark, Stephen Ray Curtis, and Dewey Revette; and12
WHEREAS, in addition to the deaths, other rig employees were injured and continue13
to suffer from their injuries; and14
WHEREAS, in addition to the tragic loss of life and injuries, the resulting oil spill15
and leak has potentially created the greatest environmental disaster in United States history;16
and17 ENROLLEDHCR NO. 214
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WHEREAS, at least one hundred and thirty miles of shoreline is being affected by1
oil coming ashore; and2
WHEREAS, the oil spill and leak continues to directly and indirectly affect the lives3
and the economic and environmental well-being of the citizens and communities of4
Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states; and5
WHEREAS, as a result of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform on6
April 20, 2010, and the ensuing disastrous impacts, the Secretary of the United States7
Department of Interior, Ken Salazar, has issued a moratorium on deepwater exploration in8
the Gulf of Mexico; and9
WHEREAS, Secretary Salazar states that "The six month moratorium on deepwater10
drilling will provide time to implement new safety requirements and to allow the Presidential11
Commission to complete its work." and he states that the moratorium does not apply to12
deepwater production, although deepwater production will continue subject to close13
oversight and safety requirements; and14
WHEREAS, although activities necessary to support deepwater production may15
continue, the Secretary's directive requires such activities must obtain approval from the16
Department of Interior in order to continue; and17
WHEREAS, safety is of paramount importance in the oil and gas industry, an18
industry that has an excellent longterm record for safety, therefore, the impetus behind the19
Secretary's directive is valid and laudable; and20
WHEREAS, the Secretary's directive directs oil and gas lessees and operators to21
cease drilling new deepwater wells, including wellbore and bypass activities, prohibits the22
spudding of any new deepwater wells, and provides that the Minerals Management Service23
will not consider drilling permits for deepwater wells or related activities; and24
WHEREAS, the directive also requires that operators who are currently drilling any25
oil or gas well covered by the Moratorium Notice to Lessees ". . . proceed at the next safe26
opportunity to secure the well and take all necessary steps to cease operations and27
temporarily abandon or close the well until they receive further guidance from the Regional28
Supervisor of Field Operations"; and29
WHEREAS, the directive will essentially stop for at least six months all oil and gas30
exploration activity in the Gulf of Mexico in five hundred feet of water or more, and the31 ENROLLEDHCR NO. 214
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directive will cease all activity on at least thirty-three exploration wells in the deepwater of1
the Gulf of Mexico, wells that currently employ thousands of Louisiana citizens and citizens2
from along the Gulf Coast; and3
WHEREAS, deepwater exploration and production of oil and gas in the Gulf of4
Mexico is a multi-billion dollar per year industry supporting associated businesses in5
Louisiana and all over the United States, an industry that is growing into the deepwater of6
the Gulf of Mexico to pursue the domestic oil and gas reserves needed by our country to7
avoid a dangerous dependence on foreign oil and gas production; and8
WHEREAS, although the bulk of the oil and gas industry was not at fault nor9
involved with the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, the moratorium will have a direct and10
devastating effect on those oil and gas companies, exploration companies, and their11
contractors, who have been involved in the drilling and safe operation of thousands of wells;12
and13
WHEREAS, the moratorium could also result in further direct and indirect impacts14
upon individuals, communities, local retailers, and small businesses already affected by the15
disaster; and16
WHEREAS, it is the deep concern of the Louisiana Legislature that the Secretary's17
directive will have a devastating effect on the economy and citizens of the state of Louisiana18
and of the states that allow and support deepwater oil or gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico19
and will have a negative effect on businesses all over the United States that do business with20
the oil and gas industry or are frequented by the employees of the oil and gas industry in the21
Gulf of Mexico; and22
WHEREAS, a six-month closure of deepwater oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of23
Mexico likely will cause an economic disaster on top of the economic and environmental24
disaster already visited on the state of Louisiana and other oil and gas producing states along25
the Gulf of Mexico by the explosion of BP's Deepwater Horizon drilling platform.26
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby27
urge and request Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to reconsider his directive that28
established a six-month moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and29
alter the directive in a manner to lessen the economic impact on the state of Louisiana and30
the rest of the states along the Gulf of Mexico who are most affected by the developing and31 ENROLLEDHCR NO. 214
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increasing disaster not only to our fragile wetlands and shorelines but also to our economic1
health and stability by reducing the time of the moratorium while not sacrificing safety and2
environmental concerns through implementation of additional safety measures as outlined3
below.4
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is within the Secretary's power to alter the5
moratorium on drilling in the deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico so that the economic hardship6
created for the state of Louisiana and the other oil and gas producing states along the Gulf7
of Mexico is lessened.8
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary shall consider in altering the9
moratorium technological and other alternatives, including verification of the safety of the10
following:11
(a)certify blowout prevention stacks12
(b)verify blowout prevention equipment compatibility13
(c)develop new inspection procedures and reporting requirements for all14
equipment, including OCTG inspection guidelines, such as (i) identifying information; (ii)15
wall thickness reading on 100% of pipe; (iii) data points should be capable of being stored16
for 3-D image and future purposes and verifying strength of pipe; and (iv) burst and collapse17
calculations based on pressure18
(d)establish new fluid displacement procedures19
(e)verify compliance with existing regulations and National Safety Alert20
requirements.21
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary could also consider allowing any22
already permitted drilling activity to continue to completion of the well, subject to23
heightened safety, inspection, and reporting requirements.24
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the other measures set forth in the Department25
of Interior "Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental26
Shelf of May 27, 2010" could be implemented such as those requiring emergency rule27
making, as well as recommendations developed by the National Commission on the BP28
Deepwater Horizon Spill and Offshore Drilling investigation which could be implemented29
concurrent with the continued operations of offshore deepwater drilling.30 ENROLLEDHCR NO. 214
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such considerations should include safety,1
environmental, and economic effects at both the state and local levels.2
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Interior should utilize all3
available personnel and resources to immediately perform all necessary inspections and4
reviews in an expedited process.5
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Minerals Management Service inspectors6
should be required to maintain a twenty-four hour per day, seven day a week presence on7
all ongoing deepwater drilling locations, with a seven to ten day rotation schedule, and the8
Secretary could require strict compliance with American Petroleum Institute standards on9
all equipment used in well construction and operation, as well as all applicable laws and10
regulations pertaining to such equipment.11
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the12
Secretary of the United States Department of Interior, Ken Salazar, and to each member of13
the Louisiana congressional delegation.14
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE