HR: 14:00h
AN: OS53B-01    [Abstracts]
TI: COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT OF TRANSBOUNDRY OIL AND GAS RESOURCES IN THE MARITIME BOUNDARY REGION OF THE GULF OF MEXICO
AU: * McLaughlin, R J
EM: richard.mclaughlin@tamucc.edu
AF: Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, United States
AB: Finding and exploiting oil and gas resources in the ultra-deepwater areas of the Gulf of Mexico is occurring at an accelerated pace. Huge new discoveries have recently been made in a large geological structure known as the Lower Tertiary Wilcox Trend that is located in the U.S.-Mexico Maritime Boundary Region. These discoveries have been projected to boost current U.S. oil reserves by as much as fifty percent. Technological advancements and market conditions have finally reached a point where production of hydrocarbons in these ultra-deepwaters is commercially feasible. However, due to the transboundary characteristics of many of these hydrocarbons, some form of bi-national cooperation is necessary to effectively manage the shared resources, protect the oceanic environment and comply with evolving norms of international law before commercial production can begin. Well established international customary norms prohibit unilateral exploitation of transboundary oil and gas resources. Consequently, it is important for the two nations to address these issues today rather than putting them off until they become a critical political problem in their bilateral relations. The United States and Mexico have already agreed to temporarily cooperate in the exploration of potential oil and gas resources in one portion of the Gulf of Mexico known as the Western Gap. This is an area in the center of the Gulf of Mexico that falls outside of the 200 mile exclusive economic zones of the two nations. After scientific studies provided evidence that the Western Gap qualifies as part of each nation's extended continental shelf, a Delimitation Treaty was negotiated and ratified in 2000. This Treaty gave Mexico access to about 62 percent of the Gap, while the U.S. retained about 38 percent. The Treaty also established a 2.8 nautical mile buffer zone along the new boundary to account for the possibility that straddling oil and gas reservoirs may be located there. The nations agreed to a ten year drilling moratorium and to share information on the geological and geophysical characteristics of any reservoirs in the buffer zone. In 2010, the moratorium expires and either side may exploit the resources in the zone. Similar transboundary reservoirs of immense size exist along significant portions of the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary. Yet, proper management and production of these resources will be severely hampered by a variety of legal and policy impediments that await resolution. Resolving many of these impediments will only be possible through the collaborative efforts of both nations. It is time for the U.S. and Mexican Governments to take a more proactive role in managing the transboundary hydrocarbon resources in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. If successful, rather than an arena for competition and legal strife, the U.S.-Mexico Maritime Boundary Region can serve as a model of cooperative management. Such a model would benefit both nations as well as serve as a useful guide for the rest of the international community.
DE: 6300 POLICY SCIENCES (7964)
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly