( Wind Power Development on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico )
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposed a “first time ever” offer of one or more lease areas for commercial wind power development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The Lease Areas were located in the select wind energy areas (WEA) offshore Lake Charles, LA, and Galveston, TX. BOEM published its Notice of Final Sale which was held on August 29, 2023. RWE was the successful bidder for the offshore Lake Charles, LA area, surprisingly the offshore Galveston, TX wind lease area did not receive any bids. Diligence Management saw an opportunity window to go after the wind lease areas referencing the Energy Act of 2005 which allows for non-competitive acquiring of offshore leases, ROW’s and RUE’s. Diligence applied and was granted Qualification by BOEM on December 18, 2023 to legally hold leases, ROW’s and RUE’s on the OCS.
The BOEM bid notice required winning bidders of the offshore wind areas to present a Community Benefit Plan. In this plan contribution to workforce training was required to result in a better trained and/or larger domestic offshore wind workforce that would provide for more efficient operations via increasing the supply of fully trained personnel. Training of existing Lessee employees, Lessee contractors, or employees of affiliated entities would not qualify for bid credits.
Examples of these skills and techniques include welding; wind energy technology; hydraulic maintenance; braking systems; mechanical systems, including blade inspection and maintenance; or computers and programmable logic control systems; (iv) Tribal offshore wind workforce development programs or training for employees of wholly owned Tribal corporations in skills necessary in the offshore wind industry; that lead to the expeditious and orderly development of offshore wind; or (v) Training in any other job skills that the Lessee can demonstrate are necessary for the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, or decommissioning of offshore wind energy projects in the United States.
Further, contributions to workforce training would need to promote and support one or more of the following purposes: (i) Union apprenticeships, labor management training partnerships, stipends for workforce training, or other technical training programs or institutions focused on providing skills necessary for the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, or decommissioning of offshore wind energy projects in the United States; (ii) Maritime training necessary for the crewing of vessels to be used for the construction, servicing, and/or decommissioning of wind energy projects in the United States; (iii) Training workers in skills or techniques necessary to manufacture or assemble offshore wind components, subcomponents or subassemblies.
© 2023 by Diligence Offshore Services LLC
