Thirteen companies, including Exxon, named MMS safety award finalists

Thirteen offshore companies who showed “outstanding commitment to safety in 2004” are being recognized as finalists in the U.S. Minerals Management Service’s Safety Awards for Excellence competition, the agency said March 17.

“Offshore oil and gas activities are being conducted with ever-improving levels of safety, and this year’s SAFE finalists are helping to further raise the standard of safety,” Johnnie Burton, director of MMS said. “I look forward to honoring the SAFE finalists along with all the MMS industry award winners in Houston in April.”

Established in 1983, the annual SAFE Awards recognize and honor outer continental shelf oil and gas operators and contractors which make concerted efforts to train and motivate their employees to conduct offshore operations in a safe manner. The awards are presented in four categories — high OCS activity, moderate OCS activity, drilling contractor and production contractor.

Winners in each category will be announced at an awards luncheon on April 26 at the Hotel Intercontinental Houston. The 2004 SAFE categories and finalists (in alphabetical order) are: ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, Nexen Petroleum and Noble Energy for high OCS activity; Callon Petroleum Operating Co., Eni Petroleum Co., EOG Resources, Magnum Hunter Production and Remington Oil and Gas Corp. for moderate OCS activity; Diamond Offshore and Rowan Companies for drilling contractor; and C&D Production Specialist and KBR Production Services for production contractor.