WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Tuesday lifted the six-month moratorium on deep water oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico that was imposed after the BP oil spill.
The administration has been under heavy pressure from the industry and others in the region to lift the ban on grounds it has cost jobs and damaged the economy. A federal report said the moratorium likely caused a temporary loss of 8,000 to 12,000 jobs in the Gulf region.
While the temporary ban on exploratory oil and gas drilling is lifted immediately, drilling is unlikely to resume immediately.
Michael Bromwich, director of the agency that oversees offshore drilling, said it would take “at least a couple of weeks” after the ban is lifted before permits are approved.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said that new rules imposed after the BP spill — the worst environmental disaster in the country’s history — have strengthened safety measures and reduced the risk of another catastrophic blowout.
“Operators who play by the rules and clear the higher bar can be allowed to resume” drilling, Salazar said at a news conference.
“The oil and gas industry will be operating under tighter rules, stronger oversight, and in a regulatory environment that will remain dynamic as we continue to build on the reforms we have already implemented,” he said.
Probably going to be like a Chinese diet, all the food you want but only one chopstick. I’ll start doing the happy dance once the permits start rolling out and we start loading mud, barite, etc.
Good question! I think I speak for most here that… I’m speechless.
What is clear is that Transocean, BP and the others will be throwing a lot of time and money at the problem in the coming weeks. My bet is the first rig gets back to drilling in 3 weeks and we are back in full swing, albeit with our new USCG/MMS watchdogs aboard, in 3 months. But that’s just a guess.
Let me start by saying that I hope I am wrong. This seems to be just some more political propaganda, abracadabra. A little to noticeable that it ended prior to midterm elections and not the originally planned after the midterm’s… Six weeks early! The end of the moratorium is a start but the real percussions from this are in there infancy of what is to be felt. I wonder how much of the required paper, licensing, permits and new regulation will be approved in a timely manner. Let’s just say prior to midterms or the end of the year for that matter.
I guess hypothetically the administration could lend 2 billion to Petobras in addition to the 70 billion raised in shares. This might create someplace for the deepwater exploration / production to go, without the added burden of waiting for approval to get back in the game in US coastal waters. Then there’s the all important question. Just what economy is are government stimulating? If the Rigs, Boats and support services transition to more friendly fields with less regulation I would think that the local governments would have zero interest in creating local jobs, yea, right, sure. It’s the normal progression, we will let you in our playground but you will play by our rules. We would like this percentage of vessels manned with local labor and so on. Just push the, I believe button. Our government is very concerned for the blue collar worker entangled in the web.
Now that they have lifted the moratorium they can begin to completely choke the life out of the industry with more rules and regulations. It will be very interesting to see what they come up with.
:eek:[QUOTE=Seaamaster;42866][SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Let me start by saying that I hope I am wrong. This seems to be just some more political propaganda, abracadabra."
**you may be right…I bet “captial hill” is full of “chicken littles” at this time:eek::eek:!!
HAHA No way BUT atleast we’re not going to be dicking around with the spill anymore. I’m tired of decon barges and people who have no clue about anything maritime other than a bathtub toy trying to tell us how to be safe on the water.
My thoughts are that things are going to continue to move slowly as the oil companies digest how to go about meeting the new regulations. By end of first quarter of 2011 things will start to pick up as new contracts are awarded for 2011. Coupled with the unfinished business of 2010, Port Fourchon will be in full upswing mode once again!
It is nice to see MC 252 is no longer the center of attention. A few boats tending to 3 rigs still on site. Our vessel and another doing mop up activites. Soon enough this place will be just another dot on the radar screen.