It is hard to say what is “reasonable” during a Global Pandemic with it’s effects on the economy. But, usually 2 months on an ‘EP’ Exploration Plan, and 1 month on a ‘ADP’ Permit, and that is if everything goes smoothly. The EP and ADP application process can run concurrently with the BOEM and BSEE. Gulfslope Energy’s New Releases or the BSEE Data Center are the most reliable sources for this type of information.
Gulfslope’s February 27, 2020 News Release stated they had “filed an Application to Drill ‘ADP’ with ‘BSEE’ Bureau of Environmental Enforcement and an Exploration Plan ‘EP’ with the ‘BOEM’ Bureau of Ocean Energy Managment.” ”The Company Anticipates Receiving Approval In Late March.”
The Pandemic hit right when the BOEM and BSEE had just received Gulfslope’s revised Tau-2 well Applications for the EP and ADP. The BOEM shows receiving the Revised Tau-2 EP with a NEPA determination of CERA on 2/13/2020, but no approval yet. Gulfslope still needs the Tau-2 well Drilling Permit (APD) to show being received and approved by BSEE.
The BOEM and BSEE are part of the ‘Essential Critical Workforce’ that has being working mostly at home under the Louisiana “Stay at Home and Safe at Work” Orders. Louisiana had to postpone their Phase One Reopening from May 1st to May 15th so they are running a little behind the State of Texas on the Phased Reopening Process.
There is a document issued on April 22, 2020 out on the internet titled: ’SAFE AT WORK, A Preliminary Framework For Louisiana’s Economic Recovery, Recommendations for the Louisiana Business Community’. It details out how Louisiana businesses are to return safely back to work. (i.e. Some employees still work from home while others work from the office allowing social distancing, “Stay at Home and Safe at Work” concepts running concurrently in a business organization)
I think BSEE and the BOEM have been continuing as part of the ‘Essential Critical Workforce’, but definitely at a lower productivity level. The BOEM just recently put back the NEPA determination CERA on the Tau-2 well EP so the BOEM has been working on Gulfslope’s EP during the “Louisiana Stay at Home Order”
With the Louisiana Phased Reopening process commencing we should start to witness some more progress in the future on the BSEE Data Center. I’m sorry I cannot speculate to an exact timeframe, but Texas and Louisiana are taking steps now in the Phased Reopening so that is good news.
Smith
