American Petroleum Institute highlights safety of seismic testing in Gulf of Mexico

The American Petroleum Institute (API) recently reiterated the importance of seismic testing in response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) recently released Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for geological and geophysical surveys in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Seismic testing has been safely used in the U.S. and around the world for decades to locate potential new sources of energy, and we will be reviewing the PEIS in the coming weeks,” API Upstream Director Erik Milito said. “Those energy sources in the Gulf can be harnessed to create hundreds of thousands of jobs, help American consumers and strengthen our national energy security."

According to API, seismic surveys do not physically or auditorily harm marine mammals through the sounds they produce. API also highlighted that the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation and the offshore wind industry employ seismic surveys in their research.

“Marine life and commercial fishing have thrived in the Gulf of Mexico for more than 30 years while scientists and industry experts have used safe technology without a single case of harm to animals,” Milito said. “Seismic surveys help uncover new oil and natural gas resources in the Gulf and will allow people to make informed decisions about the potential for continued job creation and economic growth from offshore energy production in the Gulf of Mexico.”