This Electronic Reading Room includes documents related to the BP/Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting oil spill that have been cleared for public release. We created the reading room to help with the large number of Freedom of Information Act requests we received for these items during the immediate aftermath of the spill.

Please note that this Reading Room only encompasses documents during and immediately following the explosion and resulting spill. More recent information is available in the newsrooms at both BOEM.GOV and BSEE.GOV.

Request Number		Title
ESO 00016339		Issa 5-3-2010 Request
Request Letter:		Issa 5-3-2010 Request Letter.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		DOI-Response-letter2_Issa-002-2010May17-letter_16Dec2010.pdf
		Request #1: "Copies of all rules and regulations governing the safety and operational requirements for vessels that extract mineral resources from the Gulf of Mexico and the Outer Continental Shelf in effect on April 20, 2010." Request #11: "Copies of all emergency response plans in effect on April 20, 2010, as well as any amended plans since April 20, 2010, including a timeline of the Department's response efforts." Request #2: "Copies of all policy manuals governing the enforcement of rules and regulations referred to in #1." Request #3: "Copies of all proposed rules and regulations, including comments thereto, governing the safety and operational requirements for vessels that extract mineral resources from the Gulf of Mexico and the Outer Continental Shelf. This includes, but is not limited to, those that address remote-controlled acoustic shut-off devices, as well as the auditing of safety and environmental management programs (SEMS)." Request #4: "All communications between private sector entities and the Interior Department, as well as internal communications, referring or relating to #3" Request #5: "All documents referring or relating to #3, including any internal or third party studies conducted for the Department on remote-controlled acoustic shut-off devices and any ensuing recommendations." Request #6: "All documents and communications referring or relating to any safety awards or certifications impending or bestowed upon BP, Transocean, and/or the Deepwater Horizon oil rig." Request #7: "A list of Department personnel responsible for evaluating or otherwise certifying BP, Transocean, and/or the Deepwater Horizon to operate in the Gulf of Mexico. This list should include names, titles, a brief description of their responsibilities, and contact information." Request #8: "Copies of all audits or inspections conducted with respect to BP, Transocean, and/or the Deepwater Horizon." Request #9: "All communications between BP, Transoceean, and the Interior Department, as well as internal Department communications, referring or relating to #8."
ESO 00016597		Rahall 5-4-2010 Request
Request Letter:		Rahall 5-4-2010 Request Letter.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		Response Letter to Rahall 5-4-2010(Including Document Index) .pdf
		Request #2: "The 2004 study commissioned by MMS regarding the ability of shear rams to operate properly in deepwater." Request #3: "Information on all known instances, if any, in which blowout preventer shear rams operated properly in deepwater environments." Request #4: "All NTLs related to Information Requirements for Exploration Plans and Development Operations Coordination Documents issued after 1982 and prior to 2002." Request #5: "Any documents that related to the decision to restrict the applicability of 30 CFR 250.213." Request #6: "Any comments received from outside groups, companies, or individuals relating to the inclusion of blowout scenarios in all exploration plans."
ESO 00016597		Rahall 5-6-2010 Request
Request Letter:		Rahall 5-6-2010 Request Letter.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		Response_Letter_to_Rahall_5-6-10 (Including Document Index).pdf
		Request #10 (R4): "All Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs), including revised APDs, for wells and bypasses submitted by BP for Lease #G32306." Request #11 (R5): "All Applications for Permits to Modify submitted by BP for Lease #G32306." Request #12 (R6): "All End of Operations Reports submitted by BP for #G32306." Request #13 (R7): "All Well Activity Reports submitted by BP for Lease #G32306." Request #8 (R2): "Exploration Plans (EPs) submitted by BP for Lease #G32306." Request #9(R3): "Any analysis or other documentation from MMS related to the approval of the EPs for Lease #G32306"
ESO 00016814		Rahall 5-13-2010 and 5-14-2010
Request Letter:		Rahall 5-13 and 5-14-2010 Request Letter.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		Response_Letter_Rahall_5-13_and_5-14-2010(Including Document Index).pdf
		"A copy of the National Potential Incident of Noncompliance (PINC) List, as well as copies of any other handbooks and training materials that are provided to MMS drilling or production inspectors." "All documents related to the inclusion of categorical ( C) (10) (approval of an exploration plan, development/production plan, or Development Operation Coordination Document) and ( C)(12) (approval of an Application for Permit to Drill) into Part 516, Chapter 15 of the Departmental Handbook (516 DM 15), including any analysis that were conducted to justify the inclusion of these items onto the categorical exclusion list, and all correspondence with the White House Council on Environmental Quality regarding the inclusion of these categorical exclusions." "Data showing when categorical exclusions were first used for the approval of exploration plans, development/production plans, Development Operation Coordination Documents, or Applications or Permits to Drill, and the number of categorical exclusions that were issued for the approval of each for each subsequent year." "The chapter related to MMS implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that was in effect prior to the effective date of the current 516 DM 15, as well as any prior versions of such chapters dating back to 1982." "Unredacted copies of all documents related to regulations that were either formally proposed by the Department of the Interior, subject to internal Department of the Interior discussions, or subject to discussion with industry stakeholders since January 1, 2000, if those regulations have not yet been finalized and they would have been included in Parts 250 through 254 of Chapter 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations." "Unredacted copies of all reports from Minerals Management Service (MMS) inspections that took place on facilities located in Mississippi Canyon Block 252 since January 1, 2009."
ESO 00016936		Towns 5-14-2010
Request Letter:		Towns 5-14-2010 Request Letter.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		Response Letters to Towns 5-14-2010 (Including Document Index).pdf
		Reqeust #11: "Please provide copies of all MMS policy manuals and training materials governing the enforcement of rules and regulations related to offshore drilling." Request #1: "Please provide a list of all current and former MMS employees compensated at or above the GS-15 pay grade or equivalent, since January 1, 2000, including their dates of employment and indicate whether any of these employees are or have ever been employed by oil companies or oil field services companies." Request #16: "Does MMS require companies to produce copies of emergency response plans and/or risk assessments? If so, please provide copies of all records related to emergency response plans and risk assessments for the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the Macondo well." Request #17: "During the leasing and licensing process which led to MMS approving BP's plans to drill the Macondo well, did MMS conduct an Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) or an Environmental Assessment (EA) prior to granting BP a "categorical exclusion" on April 6, 2009? Please provide copies of all records related to the decision to grant BP a "categorical exclusion" on April 6, 2009." Request #18: "Please provide a table showing MMS's annual budget for each fiscal year beginning FY 2000, and for each year indicate the amount of the budget derived from "offsetting collections" and other revenue obtained from the oil industry." Request #19: "Please provide a detailed description of the Interior Department's plan to reorganize MMS to eliminate any conflict of interest between MMS's collection of oil royalties on the one hand, and its safety oversight responsibilities on the other. Please explain how the Department intends to ensure that this plan will effectively eliminate any conflict of interest." Request #2: "Please provide copies of all pre-employment and post-employment policies, rules, and restrictions applicable to MMS employees." Request #21: "Please provide a list of all oil spills associated with offshore drilling on the Pacific Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico that have occurred since January 1, 2000, including copies of all MMS and IG investigations relating to such incidents." Request #22: "Please privide a description of how the recommendations made by the IG in its August 19, 2008 report, entitled Investigative Report: MMS Oil Marketing Group, have been implemented. If MMS has not implemented a recommendation, please explain." Request #3: "Please provide a list of all Gulf of Mexico drilling operations approved by MMS between January 1, 2000, and the date of this letter, including the name of the company, the name of the well, the date approved, and whether it was exempted from any environmental reviews or requirements." Request #4: "MMS has granted BP and other oil companies blanket exemptions (referred to as "categorical exclusions") that, in effect, allow offshore oil drilling to proceed without environmental assessments, environmental impact statements, or other environmental reviews. Please provide copies of all MMS categorical exclusions granted for offshore oil drilling." Request #5: "Please provide a table showing the number of safety inspections performed by MMS on all offshore oil rigs for each years since January 1, 2000. For each year, the table should identify the number of rigs inspected by location (i.e., Pacific Coast or Gulf of Mexico); the number of inspections that were announced and unannounced; and whether the inspection was performed by an MMS employee or a contractor." Request #6: "Please provide copies of all records relating to safety inspections of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, including, for each inspection, the date of inspection, the names of MMS staff and/or contractors performing the inspection, the titles of the inspectors, and all associated reports, orders, directives, and other actions resulting from the inspection." Request #8: "Please list the number of people injured or killed as a result of incidents associated with offshore oil rigs within MMS jurisdiction for each year since January 1, 2000." Request #9: "Please provide copies of all records relating to any safety awards or certifications impending or bestowed upon BP, Transocean, or the Deepwater Horizon."
ESO 00017120		Grassley 5-17-2010 Request
Request Letter:		Grassley_20100517-letter_ESO00017120.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		DOI-Response-letter_Grassley-2010May17-letter_15Dec2010.pdf
		Request #1: "All MMS inspection reports, investigation reports, and documents related to MMS inspections of the Deepwater Horizon, including any tests of the BOP performed by BP or Transocean, Ltd." Request #2: "Please provide the names and titles of all individuals on the Interior Department's Board to examine safety procedures for offshore drilling. For each individual, provide a relevant CV or biography, and a conflict of interest statement filed with Interior." Request #3: "Provide all documents and communications regarding the District Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE) in 2009 that was given to Transocean."
ESO 00017139		Hastings 5-25-2010 Request
Request Letter:		Hastings_20100525-letter_ESO00017139.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		DOI-Response-letter_Hastings-2010May25-letter_10Dec2010.pdf
		Request #1: "All applications for Permits to Drill (APDs), including revisions, for all wells submitted by British Petroleum (BP) for the Mississippi Canyon Block 252 (MC 252) lease" Request #10: "All End of Operations Reports submitted by BP for the MC 252 lease." Request #11: "All Well Activity Reports submitted by BP for the MC 252 lease." Request #12: "All documents related to MMS' consideration of the use of acoustic shut-off devices on offshore blowout preventers." Request #13: "The 2004 study commissioned by MMS regarding the ability of shear rams to operate properly in deepwater." Request #14: "Information on all known instances that an installed or deployed blowout preventer shear rams operated properly in the event of an emergency." Request #2: "All reports from Minerals Management Service (MMS) for inspections that took place on facilities located in MC 252 since January 1, 2009" Request #21: "All documents relating to any safety awards impending or bestowed upon BP, Transocean, Cameron, Halliburton, and/or the Deepwater Horizon rig." Request #3: "A copy of the National Potential Incident of Noncompliance (PINC) List, as well as copies of any other handbooks and training materials that are provided to MMS drilling or production inspectors" Request #4: "The Regional Oil Spill Response Plan submitted by BP that covered the activities on the MC 252 lease" Request #5: "Exploration Plans (EPs) submitted by BP for the MC 252 lease, and any modifications of those plans" Request #6: "Any analysis or other documentation from MMS related to the approval of the EPs for the MC 252 lease" Request #7: "All documents regarding contact between MMS employees and BP related to the MC 252 lease, prior to April 20, 2010." Request #8: "All documents regarding contact between MMS employees and BP since April 20, 2010." Request #9: "All Applications for Permits to Modify submitted by BP for the MC 252 lease."
ESO 00017481		Waxman 6-4-2010 Request
Request Letter:		Waxman_20100604-letter_ESO00017481.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		DOI-Response-letter_Waxman-2010June04-letter_15Dec2010.pdf
		Request #1: "All MMS inspection reports, investigation reports, and documents related to MMS inspections of the Deepwater Horizon, including any tests of the BOP performed by BP or Transocean, Ltd." Request #2: "All documents related to MMS oversight of well preparation and completion procedures on the Deepwater Horizon, including any MMS reviews of well completion procedures associated with the temporary abandonment of the well at the site of the incident."
ESO 00017604		Rahall 6-8-2010 Request
Request Letter:		Chairman Rahall Document Request Letter 6-8-2010.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		BOEM-Response-letter_Rahall-20100608-letter_16Dec2010.pdf
		Request #1: The number of Minerals Management Service (MMS) field inspectors (including supervisory inspectors) by GS-level for each of the five MMS Districts in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region for each of the past five years. Request #10: A copy of the National Potential Incident of Noncompliance (PINC) List, as well as copies of any other handbooks and training materials that are provided to MMS field inspectors, as previously requested in a letter on May 13, 2010. Request #2: The number of Minerals Management Service (MMS) field inspectors (including supervisory inspectors) by GS-level for the Pacific and Alaska OCS Regions for each of the past 25 years. Request #3: A summary of the educational qualification of each of the current MMS Field and supervisory inspectors. Request #4: Information about the type and amount of specialized training that existing inspectors receive each year. Request #5: The number of current MMS field and supervisory inspectors that have previously held positions with the oil and gas industry, including a listing of what companies these inspectors worked for and in what positions. Request #6: Information regarding rotation practices designed to ensure that inspectors maintain arms-length relationships with offshore facility personnel. Request #7: Turnover rates for the MMS field and supervisory inspection force for each of the past 25 years. Request #8 Information regarding government work rules that affect field inspectors. Request #9: Information regarding bonuses and other incentives, such as support for obtaining advanced degrees in relevant fields, provided or available to field inspectors.
ESO 00018532		Waxman 6-30-2010
Request Letter:		Waxman 6-30-2010 Request Letter.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		Response Letter to Waxman 6-30-2010 (Including Document Index).pdf
		Reqeust #3: "All documents since January 1, 2000 related to MMS's consideration of whether to require more than one blind shear ram or subsea BOP stacks." Request #4: "All documents since January 1, 2000 related to MMS's consideration of "best cementing practices" as referenced in the rule proposed on June 21, 2000, and finalized on February 20, 2003."
ESO 00019990		Barton - Burgess 8-25-2010 Request
Request Letter:		Barton_Aug062010-Incoming-Request-Copy_16Feb2011-JBurley.pdf
Response Cover Letter:		DOI-Response-letters_Barton-Burgess-2010Aug06-letters_04Mar2011.pdf
		Request #1: June 30. 2010, Memorandum from Walter Cruickshank, Deputy Director of BOEM, to Secretary Ken Salazar, entitled "Options regarding the potential suspension of certain offshore drilling activities and permitting on the Outer Continental Shelf," which is referenced on page 7, footnote 4. Request #2: June 27,2010, Memorandum by Dr. Marcia McNutt, Director of the United Stales Geological Survey, entitled "USGS Support for Macondo Well Control and Containment; Observations Regarding Technical Problems with Deepwater Efforts," which is referenced on page 10, footnote 8. Request #4: June 16, 2010, Memorandum from BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Federal On-Scene Coordinator Rear Admiral Watson to National Incident Command, referenced on page 15, footnotes 24, 25. Request #5: June 14, 2010, MMS Economic Impact Assessment: Effects of Drilling Pause for 6 Months, referenced on page 28. Request #6: June 28, 2010, Memorandum: The Department of Interior and MMS's Economic Analysis of the 6-Month Moratorium, referenced on page 28.