USA: Congressmen visit Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico platform

U.S. Congressman Steve Scalise is this week leading a bipartisan congressional delegation on an offshore energy tour in the Gulf of Mexico.

As part of the tour, which is the eighth annual Offshore Energy Tour, the members have visited a production platform in the Gulf of Mexico. According to Scalise’s twitter update, the platform in question is Chevron’s Jack St. Malo unit.

The Jack and St. Malo fields are among the largest in the Gulf of Mexico. They were discovered in 2004 and 2003, respectively, and production started in December 2014. The Jack and St. Malo fields are located within 25 miles (40 km) of each other in approximately 7,000 feet (2,100 m) of water in the Walker Ridge area, approximately 280 miles (450 km) south of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Aerial tour

The offshore energy tour also includes an aerial tour of Louisiana’s coastline, energy roundtable discussion with local energy industry leaders, and a visit Port Fourchon.

Along with congressman Scalise, the Congressman Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Congressman Gene Green (D-Texas), Congressman Jody Hice (R-Ga.), Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Oh.), Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-Wa.), Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY), and Congressman Marc Veasey (D-Texas) are taking part.

Landing on Chevron’s Jack St. Malo Deepwater rig in the Gulf of Mexico, 200+ miles SW of New Orleans #AmericanEnergy pic.twitter.com/MJTQsmTJB0

— Rep. Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) April 7, 2016

“Experiencing offshore energy production up close is critically important to understanding the positive impact American energy has on our economy and our national security, which is why I am honored to lead this diverse group of my colleagues on our eighth annual Offshore Energy Tour,” Rep. Scalise said.

“It is vital that Members of Congress from across the country come to southeast Louisiana to witness how energy is produced safely in the Gulf of Mexico, and how energy production creates good paying jobs and strengthens America’s national security. The tour will also provide each of us with a better understanding of deep-water energy exploration and production, which uses the most advanced technologies and the most rigorous safety standards. Especially in these tough economic times, we want to be sure this vital industry continues to safely operate and continues to provide homegrown American energy to power our economy.”

Scalise added: “In addition to touring a production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, we will also meet with energy industry leaders to hear about the challenges they are facing, and we will also discuss the importance of oil revenue sharing as our means to finance the restoration of our vanishing coastline. I look forward to hosting these Member of Congress here in southeast Louisiana.”