The Minerals Management Service (MMS) Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) has issued NTL No. 2004-G20 to provide further guidance on the inspections you need to conduct on OCS pipelines and related facilities because of the potential damage caused by Hurricane Ivan. The MMS GOMR issued NTL No. 2004-G18 on October 4, 2004. In part, that NTL described the inspections you need to perform on OCS pipelines and related facilities as required by 30 CFR 250.1005(a). This NTL supplements NTL No. 2004-G18 and provides clarification on the inspections you need to perform on OCS pipelines and related facilities at various water depth ranges that were along the path of Hurricane Ivan.
The chart below summarizes and clarifies those portions of a pipeline that need to be inspected under NTL No. 2004-G18 according to the water depth range.
| If the water depth range is | then inspect all |
| 0 to 199 feet | risers, subsea tie-ins, and foreign pipeline crossings. |
| 200 to 499 feet | risers, subsea tie-ins, foreign pipeline crossings, and the entire pipeline route. |
| 500 feet or greater | risers, including steel catenary risers. |