March 28th, 2012
Arctic Drilling Clears Major Hurdle
The federal government has approved Shell Oil’s emergency plan for responding to an oil spill in the Beaufort Sea near Alaska. The decision by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is a major milestone in the company’s pursuit to begin exploratory drilling later this year. However, the decision is raising significant concerns given the likely challenges with responding to an oil spill disaster in the Arctic. The Surfrider Foundation is one of many groups that has questioned how the industry will be able to contain and respond to spills in such a remote (and pristine) location, especially given the harsh environment that includes major storms, massive swells, freezing temperatures, and extended periods of darkness. The industry already has a poor record in responding to spills in places where conditions are more favorable - both with respect to environmental conditions and the presence of supporting infrastructure. For Shell’s proposed drilling to move forward in the Arctic, the response plans will need to survive any legal challenges and the company will still need to secure individual drilling permits for specific planned wells. (Photo: NOAA Photo Library).
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is holding a series of public meetings on the two proposed oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico’s Eastern Planning Area. “BOEM will use this information to help determine the scope of the issues to be addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement, and to identify and evaluate potential environmental effects related to the proposed sales,” said BOEM Director Tommy P. Beaudreau. Meetings are listed below. For more info, visit the