WASHINGTON – U.S. offshore drilling supervisors trying to clear a path for 13 oil and gas companies drilling in the Gulf of Mexico after Obama resumed their projects suspended after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Amid growing criticism about the pace of drilling activity in the Gulf, the U.S. Department of the Interior said Monday that 13 companies had their deep-water drilling projects up again without undergoing additional environmental assessments.
In December, the Interior Ministry said it would carry out additional tests for the submission of new business plans or seeking new licenses in previously approved plans.
Monday announcement does not represent a shift in policy, but gives a clarification of existing procedures for companies that were drilling new wells in the moratorium was imposed, a department spokesman.
By eliminating the need for additional studies under the National Environmental Policy Act afdeling way for companies trying to get back to work smooth, “said Michael Bromwich, director of the Office of the Department of Ocean Energy, Management, regulation and enforcement.
“For companies that were in the middle of operations at the time of the deep water suspensions, today in the communication is an important step towards resuming their permissible activity,” Mr. Bromwich said in a statement.
The companies that ATP Oil & Gas Corp., Chevron USA Inc., Noble Energy Inc. and Shell Offshore Inc. to participate will still have to meet the new safety rules for them to revive their deep-water drilling projects.
The Obama placed a moratorium on deep water drilling in the weeks after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Government officials said they wanted the safety of other drilling projects in the area protection.
The administration lifted the moratorium in October, but lawmakers and energy companies are now criticizing the speed with which the Interior Ministry, the approval of projects in both shallow and deep waters of the Gulf.
source:wsj
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