ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Shell Oil President Marvin Odum says he has faith that his company can develop vast reserves in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska's northwest coast.
But he says he'd like to get on with exploratory drilling to tap into a resource that could be crucial to meeting the country's energy needs.
The U.S. subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell has spent more than $3.5 billion on Arctic offshore leases but has yet to drill an exploratory well.
Odum says the permitting process for work on Alaska's outer continental shelf has taken much longer than the company expected, and a federal Arctic offshore drilling coordinator would help.
Drilling is bitterly opposed by environmental and some Alaska Native groups who fear a spill — and exploration itself — will harm wildlife and other natural resources.
No comments:
Post a Comment