Obama lifts offshore drilling ban
The US is to lift its six-month ban on deep water oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico imposed after the BP oil spill.
The Obama administration has been under heavy pressure from the industry, regional officials, political leaders and businesses because the ban has put people out of work and damaged the economy.
Congressional sources said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar planned to lift the moratorium, on the condition that companies would first have to meet a host of new safety regulations.
Mr Obama imposed the drilling moratorium following the April 20 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the largest offshore spill in history.
The administration has already imposed new rules to make offshore drilling safer.
Todd Hornbeck, chief executive of Louisiana-based Hornbeck Offshore Services, said lifting the ban would leave the industry in a “de facto moratorium stage” until the government fully explains how new drilling permits will be issued.
“We’re still in the dark,” said Hornbeck, who heads up one of the companies that sued to block Interior’s initial moratorium. His company provides vessels and other services for the offshore industry.
“The devil is in the details, as they say, and the industry hasn’t seen the final requirements for what we would have to do to be able to actually get a permit issued,” he added. “Until that is done, lifting the moratorium may be just a moot or perfunctory act. ... Right now, I’m sceptical that it will be anytime soon that permits will be issued even if the moratorium is lifted.”
