thumbnail|Shell's experimental drilling locations According to Democratic Senator Mark Begich from Alaska, the U.S. Department of the Interior has decided to halt all new Arctic exploratory oil drilling applications until 2011. The response is believed to be caused in part by the two current oil spill disasters (that of the Deepwater Horizon Incident and more recently the Alaska oil pipeline malfunction). However, Begich is not happy about the actions taken by the White House. "I am frustrated that this decision by the Obama administration to halt offshore development for a year will cause more delays and higher costs for domestic oil and gas production to meet the nation's energy needs," Begich claims. thumbnail|Senator Mark Begich Last September, the state of Alaska made a public notice about Shell's desire to drill off the coast of the Beaufort Sea , placing experimental drilling rigs at two drill site location: "Torpedo" and "Sivulliq". "Shell is committed to undertaking a safe and environmentally responsible exploration program in the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea in 2010," said Shell Oil Company President Marvin E. Odum to the U.S. Department of the Interior's Mineral Management Service (MMS). Chuck Clausen , director of the Alaska project at the National Resources Defense Council is not so optimistic: "Hazards present in the Arctic can include frigid temperatures, presence of sea ice, gale-force winds, intense storms and heavy fog ... The potential for loss in the Arctic is great." This is not the first time that President Obama's administration has taken the environmentally cautious path in Alaska. The President put Bristol Bay off limits to oil and gas exploration until 2017. Bristol Bay currently is one of the top salmon fishing grounds in the state. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is expected to give a speech at Thursday's White House address, regarding the suspension of Arctic oil drilling projects.
thumbnail|Shell's experimental drilling locations According to Democratic Senator from Alaska, the U.S. Department of the Interior has decided to halt all new Arctic exploratory oil drilling applications until 2011. The response is believed to be caused in part by the two current oil spill disasters (that of the Deepwater Horizon Incident and more recently the Alaska oil pipeline malfunction). However, Begich is not happy about the actions taken by the White House. "I am frustrated that this decision by the Obama administration to halt offshore development for a year will cause more delays and higher costs for domestic oil and gas production to meet the nation's energy needs," Begich claims. thumbnail|Senator Mark Begich Last September, the state of Alaska made a public notice about Shell's desire to drill off the coast of the , placing experimental drilling rigs at two drill site location: "Torpedo" and "Sivulliq". "Shell is committed to undertaking a safe and environmentally responsible exploration program in the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea in 2010," said President Marvin E. Odum to the 's (MMS). , director of the Alaska project at the is not so optimistic: "Hazards present in the Arctic can include frigid temperatures, presence of sea ice, gale-force winds, intense storms and heavy fog ... The potential for loss in the Arctic is great." This is not the first time that President Obama's administration has taken the environmentally cautious path in Alaska. The President put off limits to oil and gas exploration until 2017. Bristol Bay currently is one of the top salmon fishing grounds in the state. Interior Secretary is expected to give a speech at Thursday's address, regarding the suspension of Arctic oil drilling projects.
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Mark Begich
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Beaufort Sea
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Shell Oil Company
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U.S. Department of the Interior's Mineral Management Service
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Chuck Clausen
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National Resources Defense Council
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Bristol Bay
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Ken Salazar
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White House