Justin Williams, Author at NOIA

NOIA Supports FREEDOM Act to Restore Permitting Certainty

June 18, 2026 by Justin Williams

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Media Contact: media@nullnoia.org

Washington, D.C. - National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) president Erik Milito issued the following statement in support of the bipartisan Fighting for Reliable Energy and Ending Doubt for Open Markets (FREEDOM) Act:

Restoring investor confidence is essential to unlocking the offshore energy development America needs. When developers cannot trust that permits will hold, capital stalls, projects collapse, and the costs fall on American consumers and American energy security. The FREEDOM Act takes direct aim at that problem by establishing the predictability and accountability the offshore energy industry has long needed. The growing bipartisan momentum behind this legislation reflects a broader recognition in Congress that permitting reform is no longer optional: it is a prerequisite for American energy leadership. NOIA strongly supports Senators Cotton and Cortez Masto for bringing this critical legislation forward.

About the FREEDOM ACT
The FREEDOM Act delivers permitting certainty through four core reforms:

Enforceable deadlines: Binding federal decision deadlines of 90 days for routine authorizations, one year for complex ones, and two years where a full NEPA environmental impact statement is required. Missed deadlines automatically trigger "unreasonable delay" status under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Access to the courts: A fast, practical remedy for project sponsors when agencies miss deadlines or act unlawfully, without limiting courts' existing authority.
Court-approved contractors for stalled reviews: When an agency misses its deadline and still won't act, courts can approve a sponsor-proposed contractor to complete the analysis, funded through a new $50 million Permitting Performance Fund.
Protection for fully permitted projects: Once a project holds the substantial majority of its permits, no agency may halt, suspend, or revoke approval except to address a clear and immediate harm with no viable alternative.

Text of the bill can be found here.

About NOIA

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) represents and advances a dynamic and growing offshore energy industry, providing solutions that support communities and protect our workers, the public, and our environment.

To learn more about the Gulf of America’s role in anchoring U.S. energy leadership, visit GulfofAmericaForward.com.

API-NOIA Report: Expanding South-Central Gulf of America Could Deliver New Energy Supply and Strengthen Security

April 30, 2026 by Justin Williams

Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026
Media Contact: media@nullnoia.org

Washington, D.C. – The American Petroleum Institute (API) and the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) today released a new report, Unlocking the New South-Central Gulf of America for Energy Development: Potential Economic Impacts and Opportunities, highlighting the significant opportunity to strengthen U.S. energy security and economic growth through expanded energy development in the New South-Central region of the Gulf of America.

The report, prepared by Energy and Industrial Advisory Partners (EIAP), finds that extending responsible oil and natural gas development in the region, as outlined in the Department of the Interior’s proposed five-year offshore leasing program, would generate a significant source of new domestic energy supply, strengthen America’s energy security, and support thousands of jobs across the Gulf Coast.

Expanding access ensures the Gulf of America can continue to attract the next generation of investment and sustain long-term growth in one of the world’s most prolific offshore energy basins.

Download the Report Here

NOIA President Erik Milito said:

The South-Central Gulf of America represents a natural extension of the Gulf of America’s proven energy ecosystem, with direct access to the infrastructure, workforce, and expertise that have made the region a global offshore leader.

This study highlights the scale of the opportunity: new production, billions in investment, and tens of thousands of jobs. At a time of rising global demand and geopolitical uncertainty, expanding access strengthens America’s long-term ability to produce energy at home, build energy dominance, support our energy workers, and keep investment and capital here in the United States.

API Senior Vice President of Policy, Economics and Regulatory Affairs Dustin Meyer said:

In a volatile global energy environment, the United States is in a stronger position today because of sustained investment in domestic energy production and policies that support access to diverse supply regions within our borders. Expanding access to the South-Central Gulf of America creates a new source of secure domestic energy—helping meet growing demand while strengthening our economic and national security.

The report evaluates the potential impacts of opening Program Area B in the South-Central Gulf of America to leasing beginning in 2029. Key findings include:

More than 133,000 jobs supported by 2040 through offshore development, supply chain activity, and broader economic growth.
$11.3 billion in U.S. GDP supported in 2040 from expanded energy production and related investment.
$13.1 billion in capital investment and industry spending in 2040 tied to exploration, development, and operations.
Nearly $1.5 billion in government revenues in 2040 from lease bids, rents, and royalties.
More than 470,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in production by 2040, helping meet rising demand with secure American supply.

The report also finds these benefits would extend well beyond offshore production, supporting workers and businesses while leveraging infrastructure and workforce capabilities across the Gulf.

An expansive, predictable offshore leasing program is essential to maintaining America’s energy advantage, providing the long-term visibility needed to attract capital, support continued development, and ensure the U.S. can meet growing demand at home and abroad.

These benefits are additive to the Gulf of America’s existing operations, which already support hundreds of thousands of jobs and produce roughly 2 million barrels per day. The Gulf of America remains one of the world’s most prolific offshore energy basins and one of the lowest carbon-intensity sources of oil globally. Like any mature system, it depends on access to new, attractive resource areas to complement ongoing production. Expanding into the South-Central Gulf helps sustain long-term output while attracting the next generation of investment needed to keep the region competitive.

API and NOIA’s support for expanded leasing in the South-Central Gulf of America goes hand-in-hand with the industry’s longstanding commitment to world-class offshore safety. An expansive and predictable leasing program allows companies to plan and invest in best-in-class technologies and operations, ensuring development moves forward with the highest standards for safety, environmental stewardship, and community engagement.

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About NOIA

To learn more about the Gulf of America’s role in anchoring U.S. energy leadership, visit GulfofAmericaForward.com.

About API

The American Petroleum Institute (API) represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry, supporting nearly 11 million U.S. jobs. With approximately 600 members, API companies produce, process, and distribute the majority of the nation’s energy. Founded in 1919, API has developed over 800 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

Eric Zimmermann Elected NOIA Chair; Occidental’s Clay Thompson Approved as Vice Chair

April 24, 2026 by Justin Williams

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Friday, April 24, 2026
Media Contact: media@nullnoia.org

Washington, D.C. – The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) Board of Directors has elected Eric Zimmermann, Chief Operating Officer of LLOG, as NOIA Chair for the 2026–2027 term. Clay Thompson, Director of Gulf of America Operations for Occidental, was elected as NOIA Vice Chair for the same term. Both were confirmed during the NOIA Board of Directors meeting this morning. NOIA also announced the full slate of Executive Committee and Board of Directors appointments for the 2026–2027 term and commended the leadership of Joe Leimkuhler, COO of Beacon Offshore Energy, for his strong efforts in leading NOIA as Chair over the past year.

NOIA President Erik Milito issued the following statement:

This is a dynamic time for America’s offshore energy industry. Our members are not standing still, they are expanding operations, investing in new technologies, and broadening their interests across the full spectrum of offshore energy, from oil and gas to carbon capture, offshore wind, ocean minerals, and the infrastructure and services that support them. That growth reflects both the scale of the opportunity offshore and the increasing importance of smart, durable policy.

At the same time, our industry continues to navigate real challenges, including permitting uncertainty, regulatory complexity, and the need for long-term investment confidence in a highly competitive global environment. NOIA’s role is to bring together the full offshore energy value chain and advocate for policies that support responsible development, strengthen American competitiveness, and position the offshore sector for continued growth. We look forward to working with Eric and Clay as NOIA continues to advance that mission, and we thank Joe Leimkuhler for his work in leading NOIA as Chair over the past year.

NOIA Chair and LLOG COO Eric Zimmermann said:

It’s an honor to serve as NOIA Chair at such an important time for America’s offshore energy industry. Across the sector, companies are investing, innovating, and expanding to meet growing energy demand and strengthen U.S. competitiveness. NOIA plays a vital role in bringing together the full offshore energy value chain and advocating for the policies needed to support responsible development and long-term investment.

I look forward to working with Clay, the Board, and NOIA’s membership to help advance that mission.

NOIA Vice Chair and Occidental Director of Gulf of America Operations Clay Thompson said:

I’m honored to serve as NOIA Vice Chair at a time when the offshore industry is in a leadership position to advance U.S energy security and strengthen industrial activity. NOIA helps ensure policymakers understand the operational realities, workforce, and infrastructure that make offshore energy possible. I look forward to working with Eric and our members to help advance practical policies that keep the offshore sector strong and competitive.

2026–2027 NOIA Executive Committee

Note: Executive Committee members also serve on the NOIA Board of Directors.

Paul Danos, Owner, President & CEO, Danos
Jim Dunlap, Senior Director, Americas Commercial Policy, ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions
Chris Golden, Senior Vice President, U.S. Upstream, Equinor
Paul Goodfellow, President & CEO, Talos Energy
Anna Guichard, Managing Director North America Offshore, SLB
Lee Jackson, Chairman & CEO, Jackson Offshore Operators
Andy Krieger, SVP Gulf of America and Canada, bp
Jonathan Landes, President, Subsea, TechnipFMC
Joe Leimkuhler, COO, Beacon Offshore Energy
Mike McCauley, Senior Vice President, Asset Management & Special Projects, White Fleet Abandonment
Neil Menzies, General Manager, Capital Projects, Gulf of America, Chevron
Court Ramsay, President & CEO, Aries Marine
Molly Smith, SVP, Engineering and Technology, Murphy Oil Corporation
Richard Tallant, EVP, Supply Chain and Contracting Procurement, Shell
Clay Thompson, Director, Gulf of America Operations, Oxy
Eric Zimmermann, COO, LLOG

2026–2027 NOIA Board of Directors

Paa-Joe Akoto-Ampaw, Vice President, Gulf of America, Woodside Energy
Karthik Annadorai, President & Chief Revenue Officer, GATE Energy
David Barton, Chief Operating Officer, Marubeni Oil & Gas
Ken Beer, CEO/CFO, Cantium
Lanis Belaire, Co-Founder & Owner, Pharma-safe
Craig Broussard, Vice President, Gulf of Mexico, Subsea 7
David Cherechinsky, President, CEO and Director, DNOW
Mark Cizek, Vice President and General Manager, GOM, Williams
W. David de Roode, Partner & Executive Vice President, Global Energy & Marine, Lockton Partners, LLC
Sam Eaton, President & CEO, US Offshore Wind, RWE
Robert Eifler, President & CEO, Noble
Bryan Ellis, President, Services Division, Superior Energy Services
Loren Fowler, Vice President Sales & Business Development – Americas, Heerema Marine Contractors
Tommy Fulford, Senior Vice President and Head of the GOA Business Unit, Kosmos
John Gellert, President & CEO, SEACOR Marine Inc.
Céline Gerson, Group Director Americas/President USA, Fugro USA
David Hajovsky, Executive Vice President, TGS
Chris Johnson, Vice President North America Offshore, Baker Hughes
Cliffe Laborde, Managing Member, Laborde Marine
Rod Larson, President & CEO, Oceaneering International
Terry Lechinger, Vice President, Stress Engineering
Todd Lee, CEO, TotalEnergies E&P USA
Mikkel Mæhlisen, Vice President, Americas Operations, Ørsted
Jennifer Medcalf, President, The REACH Group
Chet Morrison, CEO, Morrison Energy Group
Scott Moses, Executive Vice President & COO, Oil States International
Bill New, President, New Industries
Brent Ozenne, CEO, Arena Offshore
Woody Pace, Director, Gulf of America Business Unit, Repsol
Joe Pope, Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Valaris
David Reid, Chief Technology Officer & Chief Marketing Officer, NOV
Mark Richard, President, Western Hemisphere, Halliburton
Niloy Shah, President and Partner, Ridgewood Energy
Steve Weyel, Founder and Owner, EnVen Energy Ventures
Jim Wicklund, Managing Director – Energy Group, PPHB

About NOIA

To learn more about the Gulf of America’s role in anchoring U.S. energy leadership, visit GulfofAmericaForward.com.

SLB and Oceaneering Earn 2026 NOIA Safety in Seas Awards

April 23, 2026 by Justin Williams

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Media Contact: media@nullnoia.org

Washington, D.C. – The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) is pleased to announce that SLB and Oceaneering are the winners of the 2026 NOIA Safety in Seas Award Competition, sponsored by Offshore, published by Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B. SLB has been named the Culture of Safety Award winner, while Oceaneering has earned the Safety Practice Award.

The Culture of Safety Award honors overall organizational immersion in and commitment to safety that has resulted in remarkable, measurable, and sustained safety performance over a prolonged period of time. The Safety Practice Award recognizes specific technologies, approaches, methods, or projects with direct and demonstrable impacts on improving safety.

NOIA President Erik Milito said:

Safety doesn't happen by accident, it is a core value and it takes leadership, culture, and commitment for success. That’s exactly what SLB and Oceaneering have delivered. The Safety in Seas Awards exist to shine a light on the people and programs pushing our industry forward, and this year's winners represent the very best of what offshore energy is capable of. SLB's deployment of artificial intelligence and immersive technology to build a safer, smarter workforce, and Oceaneering's disciplined commitment to engineering hazards out of existence rather than simply managing them, are exactly the kind of innovations that set new standards for the entire industry. We congratulate both companies and extend our deep appreciation to every organization that submitted an entry. Each one is a testament to the offshore energy industry's enduring commitment to safety excellence.

Diana Smith, Executive Vice President, Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B, said:

Safety remains one of the cornerstone’s of the offshore oil and gas industry, Offshore is proud to recognize SLB and Oceaneering for their commitment to protecting the men and women working in these ever challenging environments.

Rod Larson, President & CEO of Oceaneering, said:

We are honored to receive this recognition for our High Hazard Task Elimination program, which reflects how deeply safety is embedded in our culture and the way we operate. By prioritizing engineered hazard elimination over reliance on human behavior, we are making fatality prevention a measurable, operational responsibility. This mindset—supported by technology, robotics, and accountability at every level—guides how we design work and make decisions every day. As we look ahead, we remain focused on advancing solutions that remove people from harm’s way and continue strengthening a culture of safety across our organization and the offshore energy industry.

Carmen Bejar, Americas President of SLB, said:

At SLB, safety excellence is built on continuous improvement and a strong focus on human performance. By applying technologies such as Visual AI and AI-enabled driver monitoring, we reduce risk in real time across our operations, with measurable impact on injury frequency. At the same time, we strengthen decision-making to deliver safer, more consistent performance in the field. Safety is deeply embedded in our culture and anchored in our values of people, technology, and performance.

Marat Akhmetov, NAO HSE FM Manager for SLB, added:

By creating safer, optimized workspaces, our people have been empowered to imagine, design, and implement innovative, technology-driven ways of working. I am incredibly proud of our team for successfully executing these complex projects and wholeheartedly embracing new technology with a continuous drive for delivering safer operating performance. Their commitment and hard work have directly delivered the most important outcomes: zero fatalities, zero permanent impairments, and substantial improvements in injury frequency across our operations.

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About the Winning Entries

Culture of Safety: SLB
SLB North America Offshore has been honored for its Safe Today, Safer Tomorrow framework — an offshore safety technology strategy centered on human performance that deploys artificial intelligence (AI), including AI-enabled driver monitoring cameras and Visual AI analytics across workshop environments, alongside facility modernization and immersive VR-based safety training. Across its North America Offshore operations, the program delivered zero fatalities, zero permanent impairments, a 33% reduction in automotive accidents, and a 30% reduction in injury frequency.

Safety Practice: Oceaneering
Oceaneering has been recognized for its High Hazard Task Elimination program — a systematic offshore safety initiative that replaces reliance on human behavior with engineered hazard elimination, including robotic inspection technologies such as ROV (remotely operated vehicle) systems that remove personnel from high-risk environments entirely. Accountability is embedded across every business unit through KPIs tied directly to leadership compensation. Since 2021, the program has delivered 110 engineered controls and eliminated an estimated 63,000 High Hazard Task occurrences, making fatality prevention a measurable operational deliverable rather than a safety aspiration.

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About the Award & Presentation

NOIA presented the awards to SLB and Oceaneering during the NOIA Annual Meeting, April 22-24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Both winning companies are asked to present on their entries at the NOIA Fall Meeting in October 2026.

The judging panel — consisting of independent offshore safety consultants, as well as representatives from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Ocean Energy Safety Institute, and Endeavor Business Media — reviewed each entry and deliberated on the finalists’ merits before selecting this year’s winners.

NOIA has held the Safety in Seas Awards competition since 1978 to recognize those who contribute to improving the safety of life in the offshore energy industry. The awards are sponsored by Offshore, published by Endeavor Business Media.

Past winners can be viewed here.

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About Offshore/Endeavor Business Media

Offshore is the leading source of timely, actionable and relevant news and technical content for the offshore oil and gas, and renewable energy industries. It delivers the content to a global audience through digital platforms and in-person events. Please visit www.offshore-mag.com.

About NOIA

To learn more about the Gulf of America’s role in anchoring U.S. energy leadership, visit GulfofAmericaForward.com.

NOIA Releases Offshore Energy Innovation & Workforce Excellence Report

April 22, 2026 by Justin Williams

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Media Contact: media@nullnoia.org

Report features case studies and highlights from 13 member companies and partners on environmental stewardship, workforce development, and responsible offshore operations

Download the Report Here!

Washington, D.C. – The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) today released its sixth annual Offshore Energy Industry's Innovation & Workforce Excellence Report, a comprehensive publication showcasing how offshore energy companies are leading on environmental performance, workforce development, safety, and corporate responsibility.

NOIA President Erik Milito said:

What stands out in this year's report is the depth of our industry's commitment, to its workers, to the communities where it operates, and to the environment in which it works every day. From AI-assisted decommissioning to biodiversity monitoring to workforce programs designed for the next generation, NOIA members are proving that innovation and responsibility go hand in hand. This is what offshore energy leadership looks like.

The 2026 report features case studies and highlights from 13 NOIA member companies and partners, including Danos, Energy Education Foundation, Fugro, Medical Bridges, Oceaneering, OEG Offshore, Promethean Energy, RTI Offshore, The Metals Company, The NEED Project, TGS, USA Energy Workers, and Woodside Energy, alongside a guest perspective on ESG risk management from Dan Romito of Opportune LLP.

This year's report highlights six key themes driving the offshore energy sector: breakthrough innovation, workforce excellence, security and governance, offshore carbon capture and storage, ESG as risk management, and community and global partnerships.

The report also recognizes this year's award recipients. Baker Hughes received the fourth annual NOIA ESG Excellence Award for its enterprise-wide, data-driven approach to sustainability, having reduced Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by nearly 30 percent since 2019. SEACOR Marine and Proceanic were recognized as 2025 Safety in Seas Award recipients.

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About the NOIA ESG Network
NOIA’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Network was created to empower offshore energy companies to lead with purpose and impact. The network serves as a platform for collaboration, continuous improvement, and the sharing of best practices across environmental stewardship, workforce development, safety, governance, and community engagement.

Through the NOIA ESG Network, NOIA and its members are advancing foundational principles centered on safety, health, environmental protection, ethical governance, innovation, climate awareness, workforce inclusion, and strong community partnerships. The network also supports NOIA’s annual ESG Excellence Award, which recognizes offshore service and supply companies making meaningful contributions to the advancement of NOIA’s ESG principles.

Past NOIA ESG Excellence Award Winners

2025	Baker Hughes
2024	SEACOR Marine
2023	TechnipFMC
2022	Vallourec

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About NOIA
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) represents and advances a dynamic and growing offshore energy industry, providing solutions that support communities and protect our workers, the public, and our environment.

To learn more about the Gulf of America’s role in anchoring U.S. energy leadership, visit GulfofAmericaForward.com.