The MMS said in a statement it "found no compelling environmental reason why development and production plans proposing to use this method of production should not be submitted by the oil and gas industry for evaluation by the agency."

It added that a environmental impact statement (EIS) on FPSO systems do not pose a greater threat to the environment than do current development and production systems, given the application of mitigation measures keyed to the specific proposed operations and locations.

MMS said it would evaluate the potential emissions and impacts of any proposed use of an FPSO within 100 kilometres of the Breton National Wildlife Area in southern Louisiana and will impose emission restrictions and mitigation requirements to ensure that no significant air quality impacts occur. Proposed FPSO operations outside the range of the EIS study will require more extensive technical and environmental review to demonstrate equivalence to what the EIS covered.