Shell gets a go ahead to drill wells in Chukchi Sea

20 December 2011: Royal Dutch Shell has received conditional US approval for its plan to drill six exploration wells in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea in 2012.

This plan to drill the Arctic waters has been long delayed, as it was fiercely opposed by environmental campaigners. According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the US government agency that runs offshore leasing, the final approval requires Shell to meet safety and environmental protection measures. Shell first acquired leases to drill in the Chukchi Sea off the north-west coast of Alaska in 2008. But, it had repeatedly been prevented from drilling by legal action, a government moratorium in 2010 and failing to secure the necessary permits.

Source: Hindu Business Line