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

RCED-85-10 Published: Oct 30, 1984. Publicly Released: Oct 30, 1984.

Highlights

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.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter	Status	Comments
Congress should repeal section 15(1)(D) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, as amended, and sections 601(a) and (b) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Amendments of 1978.	Closed – Implemented	Based on this recommendation, Congress passed the OCS Paperwork and Reporting Act which was signed into law by the President on July 31, 1986. The law repeals section 15(i)(D) of the OCS Lands Act, as amended, and sections 601(a) and (b) of the OCS Lands Act Amendments of 1978. These sections required Interior and GAO annual reviews and reports on offshore shut-in and flaring wells.

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