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The NewsRoom
Release: #
Date: December 07, 2009
Salazar Conditionally Approves Shell’s Exploration Plan
For Certain Chukchi Sea Leases
Drilling Contingent on Shell Adherence to Stringent Environmental Requirements
WASHINGTON,
DC–
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the
Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) has approved,
with conditions, Shell Gulf of Mexico, Inc.’s Exploration Plan
to drill three exploratory, information-gathering wells in the
Chukchi Sea.
“A
key component of reducing our country's dependence on foreign
oil is the environmentally-responsible exploration and
development of America's renewable and conventional resources,"
said Salazar. "By approving this Exploration Plan, we are
taking a cautious but deliberate step toward developing
additional information on the Chukchi Sea."
In 2008, Shell’s subsidiary paid
$2.1 billion for leases during Chukchi Sea Oil and Gas Lease
Sale 193. The 2008 sale was included in the previous
Administration’s 2007-2012 Five-Year Oil and Gas Leasing Program
to cover leasing for oil and gas in the Outer Continental Shelf
for that five-year period. The Exploration Plan now approved
allows Shell to drill up to three exploration wells during the
July-October open water drilling season.
Shell proposes activities using
one drill ship, one ice management vessel, an ice class anchor
handling vessel, and oil spill response vessels. The closest
proposed drill site is more than 60 miles to shore and
approximately 80 miles from Wainwright, Alaska.
“Our approval of Shell’s plan is
conditioned on close monitoring of Shell’s activities to ensure
that they are conducted in a safe and environmentally
responsible manner,” added Salazar. “These wells will allow the
Department to develop additional information and to evaluate the
feasibility of future development in the Chukchi Sea.
The 2007-2012 OCS plan is
currently undergoing review in response to a U.S. Court of
Appeals for the D.C. Circuit order which required additional
environmental analysis. The Secretary’s decision on the
remaining plan is forthcoming.
Q&A - Shell’s OCS
Chukchi Sea Exploration Plan
News Media Contact:
Frank Quimby
(202) 208-6416
MMS: Securing Ocean Energy & Economic Value for America
U.S. Department of the Interior
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Last Updated:
12/08/2009,
11:16 AM
Central Time
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