Posted on 10/12/2010 9:27:53 AM PDT by WebFocus
The Obama administration on Tuesday plans to announce that it is lifting the moratorium on deep-water oil drilling, after putting in place new rules intended to tighten safety.
President Obama imposed the moratorium after the blowout of a BP well in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20 led to the largest maritime oil spill in American history. But the White House has come under intense pressure from the industry and from regional officials and businesses that have complained about the economic impact.
“The process is coming to its natural end,” Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, told reporters on Tuesday morning. “I believe the process will wrap up very soon.” The Interior Department later sent reporters an e-mail announcing that it would hold a telephone news conference at 1 p.m. to discuss the resumption of deep-water drilling.
The moratorium was supposed to run through Nov. 30, but the administration has been working on changes designed to improve safety, oversight and environmental protection standards. Nearly two weeks ago, the Interior Department issued new rules governing areas like well casing and cementing, blowout preventers, safety certification, emergency response and worker training.
(Excerpt) Read more at thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Could be because the Dems are DESPERATE for votes.
But the EPA is still threatening to shut down the entire energy industry in Texas.
See “Shootout at the EPA Corral”, yesterday’s WSJ, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704696304575538834180153298.html.
The Chinese will have something to say about that since they’ve bought the rights to thousands of acres of leases in South Texas.
Obama is running out of options and in a final act of desperation stumbling the right thing. I expect that he will quickly pick himself up and continue on his path.
Many of them have moved on to foreign waters where they are free to drill without the constant harassment.
Obama administration on Tuesday plans to announce that it is lifting the moratorium on deep-water oil drilling.
For China expect tons of free rice next month.
Deep Water Oil Drilling Rigs Leaving the Gulf Region
July 2010
Faced with uncertainly and a clearly hostile Obama Administration, deep water oil drilling rigs are starting to pack up and move out of the Gulf of Mexico. On Friday, the CEO of Houston area Diamond Offshore, Larry Dickerson, announced, “As a result of the uncertainties surrounding the offshore drilling moratorium, we are actively seeking international opportunities to keep our rigs fully employed.”
Transocean rig leaving Gulf of Mexico for Egypt
September 14, 2010
Another Transocean Ltd rig is leaving the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, still under contract with Statoil — the fourth rig departure resulting from a moratorium on U.S. deepwater drilling.
The world’s largest offshore drilling contractor said Tuesday the Discoverer Americas would leave next week, becoming its second rig to depart the region since the disaster in April that destroyed the company’s Deepwater Horizon.
I guess they’ve decided they’ve f-—ked up the Gulf economy enough for now.
Absolutely..... “the Dems are DESPERATE for votes.”
“...after putting in place new rules intended to tighten safety.”
Giving with one hand and taking away with the other.
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