52 



Attachment 4 



CORPUS CHRISTI STATE UNIVERSITY 



FLOWIR QABDUS OCCAH RB8BARCB PROJVCT 



Tirn>nnuCTiOM 



Th« current «f £orta of th« F?ow«r Qardans Oo«an R«s«arch 

 Project (FOOIU?) began In 1990 when Mobil Bxploration and 

 Producing Inc. offered to provide •upport to oceaoograpbic 

 research acientietB working in the Oulf of Mexico. Mobil 

 offered toi 1) allow reaearcbere to u«e Mobil production 

 platfoms aa research stations, 2) provide transportation to 

 and fro« the platforms, and 3) provide room and board for the 

 research personnel stationed on the platforas. 



The initial efforts to start such a program occurred in 

 the late 60 ^s - early 70 's tioe period. However, at that tiae 

 there existed between the exploration/production industry and 

 the aarine research cosBunity a great deal of aisunderstanding 

 and mistrust. The success of the current FOORP efforts is 

 indicative of the progress towards understanding that both 

 camps have made over the last twenty years. 



In rssponse to Mobil's generous offer/ a consortium of 

 oce«mographlc research professionals and agencies was formed 

 to take of advantage of the opportunity. Today the consortium 

 steering committee includes representatives of: Mobil 

 Exploration and Producing inc.. Corpus Christ! State 

 Dnlversity, University of Texas Marine Science Institute, 

 Texas ktH Oniversity, Mineral Management Service, National 

 Marine Sanctuaries Program, Sea Grant Collaga Program, Texas 

 State Aquarium, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 

 Bnvironmental Protection Agency, and Louisiana Universities 

 Marine Resaareh Consortium. 



FOOKP is non-exclusive and encourages research scientists 

 from through-out the Oulf of Mexioe to subadt resaaroh 

 proposals to work off of Mobil platform*. Research topics are 

 not restricted other than to not interferm with the daily 

 operations of the platfora(8) being utilized. 



In addition to the support provided by Mobil this project 

 is producing other •Ignlf leant banafits. Through tha 

 existence of a successful consortium, manpower and eiqpertise 



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