U.S. seeks more data from Shell on Arctic Ocean drilling plans

[Judi Lynn]

Source: McClatchy

U.S. seeks more data from Shell on Arctic Ocean drilling plans
By Erika Bolstad, McClatchy Newspapers Erika Bolstad, Mcclatchy Newspapers – 1 hr 50 mins ago

WASHINGTON — Saying there are new safety concerns raised by last month's explosion of an oil drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico , the Interior Department has given Shell Oil until May 18 to provide more information about the company's exploratory drilling plans in the Arctic Ocean and said they will fall under the temporary halt to all pending U.S. offshore drilling proposals.

"The recent and ongoing tragedy of the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico highlights the importance of taking every step necessary to ensure the safety of all offshore drilling operations," Elizabeth Birnbaum , the director of the Minerals Management Service, wrote Thursday to Marvin Odum , the head of Shell's North American division.

MMS is looking specifically for additional safety procedures the company is proposing to undertake in light of the Deepwater Horizon accident.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar also announced late Thursday that the company's offshore plans for this summer will fall under the temporary halt to all offshore drilling proposals pending in the United States . There will be no new offshore drilling activity until the Interior Department completes the safety review process requested by President Barack Obama , Salazar announced Thursday. The department is required to deliver the report to the president by May 28, 2010 .


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20100507/sc_mcclatchy/3498508

[awoke_in_2003]

1. Shell's response will be...

"Suck it"