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WHITE HOUSE LIFTS BAN ON DEEPWATER DRILLING - www.newyorktimes.com

WASHINGTON —

 The Obama administration lifted its moratorium on deepwater drilling for oil and gas on Tuesday, after imposing new rules intended to prevent another disaster like the Gulf of Mexico rig explosion that led to the largest offshore oil spill in American history.

“We have made and continue to make significant progress in reducing the risks associated with deepwater drilling,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in announcing the step. Therefore, he said, “I have decided that it is now appropriate to lift the suspension on deepwater drilling for those operators that are able to clear the higher bar that we have set.” Though the administration’s decision takes effect immediately, it may be weeks or months before drilling operations resume, because companies will first have to submit new permit applications showing they have complied with the tougher rules, and have their rigs inspected. Officials said that they expect at least some of the idle drilling rigs in the gulf to be at work again by the end of the year. “We are open for business,” Mr. Salazar said.


Link to complete article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/13/us/13drill.html?partner=rss&e...

Tags: BAN, DEEPWATER, DRILLING, HOUSE, LIFTS, ON, WHITE

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landownerPermalink Reply by Keith Mauck (Site Publisher) on October 12, 2010 at 10:22
I must say, to the extend they pushed for the moratorium in the courts this timing seems a bit odd, the mics in the hearing rooms were barely turned off, but so it goes in the beltway. Also seems odd that rigs were never inspected to see if they complied with the former standards. Perhaps, someone, intimately involved can answer that question?
Permalink Reply by Taylor on October 13, 2010 at 10:45
Reminds me of the church lady (Dana Carvey) on SNL. "How con-VEEN-ient!"

landownerPermalink Reply by MARG on October 12, 2010 at 15:50
Is it appropriate for a female to wonder if Nov. 2 has anything to do with it??????

landownerPermalink Reply by TPFH on October 12, 2010 at 17:04
MARG
I would have to bet with you! Nov 02 I think has a great bearing on the lifting of the moratorium.
StevewPermalink Reply by Stevew on October 12, 2010 at 20:38
YAHOO!!!! I am glad to see this gone. Agree with all of you - it was political to begin with and political now.

The same people can tell environmentalists "we put a moratorium on drilling to force rigs to comply with safety standards.

Then, they can turn around and tell the industry and the rest of us that "we've made it safe for you to do business again"

Yes, Nov 2 has a lot to do with it - and the money they can raise from both groups. Politics. But, tonight I am happy the ban is over.

Logger

landownerPermalink Reply by P.G. on October 13, 2010 at 1:31
Now if only they could hold themselves to the same standards that they expect from the Oil companies...
I mean how much of this would be needed in the first place had the Gov. inspectors been on the job like they were supposed to be?

Oil & Gas ProPermalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on October 13, 2010 at 1:59
I would very much like to see the details of the new rules and analysis of how effective their impact may be in regard to avoiding future deep water well accidents. I suspected that a majority of comments of this topic would be political in nature. So be it. I wonder what the families of the men killed in the blow out and the residents of the coast most affected by the Macondo spill might say to those who forget or disagree that there was ever a rational reason for a moratorium.

landownerPermalink Reply by P.G. on October 13, 2010 at 2:31
Would there had been a spill in the first place if everyone had done what they were suppose to do and not dropped the ball? Was an industry wide moratorium really necessary or would a crackdown on inspections and procedures sufficed? Was good judgement used here considering the impact on so many lives.

Oil & Gas ProPermalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on October 13, 2010 at 2:48
No, but then again how often does "everyone do what they are supposed to" lacking an overwhelming reason to do so? The reform of the Office of Minerals Management was long over due and the industry should have been better prepared for a spill response. The industry should also have realized the value of taking a leading roll in improving best practices in deep offshore exploration prior to a major accident. Is any response to a disaster under similar conditions ever the exactly correct solution, no more - no less? A rational response is to make an effort to correct the immediate problem and review the wider, associated operations in the process in addition to mitigating the damages incurred. A moratorium was a rational response. And the only reasonable assessment of its effectiveness will be one looking back from some time in the future.

landownerPermalink Reply by Cactus on October 13, 2010 at 3:36
Finally the good folks on the gulf who rely on oil jobs can get back to work. Way overdue. I don't think anything gets done anymore without the political ramifications being weighed and deflection of blame being planned.

Now that the big boys can go back to exploring the deep water, I wonder how that will affect the buget for exploring Haynsville Shale?
Permalink Reply by Aubrey C. Sanders, Jr. on October 13, 2010 at 9:31
WELL, election time is near. Be thankful for that. Let's don't get too excited about resumption of Gulf drilling until we know how many hoops one has to jump through and how small they are. H'm, I wonder if could get a drilling permit? Anyone care to speculate when next permit will be issued? That would make a nice Christmas gift. Will it depend on election results? Hope the "new rules" are not as complicated as Obama health care.

landownerPermalink Reply by Rosebud on October 14, 2010 at 5:03
Aubrey,

I agree. My guess is the "new rules" are every bit as complicated as Obama health care AND probably will be as loosely administered as the housing foreclosure disasters now taking center stage. Every week, every day, it's something else - when the government implements more rules and regulations than it can even begin to manage then nothing gets done effectively.

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