Atlantic Ocean Seismic Research Could Be Opened Up To Oil And Gas Companies

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The U.S. Interior Department said Wednesday it is seeking comment from the public on a plan to allow energy companies to begin seismic testing to find oil and natural reserves in the Atlantic Ocean.

Officials have released a programmatic environmental impact statement on seismic testing for public review. The testing would be used to determine how much oil and natural gas is available and where the best places to drill would be, among other things. The studies also help identify archaeological and geologic hazards to avoid.

Companies would use the information to determine where to apply for energy leases, although no leases are currently available in the region that could be opened up for exploration until 2017.

Supporters of drilling argued that there needs to be a plan in place soon to sell drilling leases to make the seismic testing valuable. Environmental groups said seismic testing could harm wildlife, even before any drilling begins.

"Without an Atlantic coast lease sale in their five-year plan, the administration's wishful thinking on seismic research has no ultimate purpose," the American Petroleum Institute Upstream Director Erik Milito said in a statement.

The announcement comes as Americans grumble about escalating gas prices and the Obama administration seeks to fend off criticism from Republicans that not enough is being done to tap domestic energy resources.

"As the president has said, there is no silver bullet to high gas prices. But we must continue to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and reduce our vulnerability to the ups and downs of the international market," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said at a news conference in Virginia, a key election state.

Salazar said he would make his ruling on whether to allow seismic testing by the end of the year, following a series of public meetings from Delaware to Florida, where the testing would occur. Salazar said six companies have already filed applications expressing interest in conducting seismic testing.

The possibility of oil exploration in the Atlantic drew immediate criticism from environmental groups, who are concerned about its effects on marine life, including endangered whales.

"Today's announcement is great for petroleum companies, but horrible news for our coastlines and a potentially deadly blow to ocean fisheries and wildlife," Natural Resources Defense Council President Frances Beinecke said in a statement.

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Online:

U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management: www.boem.gov/oil-and-gas-energy-program/GOMR/GandG.aspx

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Brock Vergakis can be reached at www.twitter.com/BrockVergakis

Comments

[Linda Bertrand]

02:24 AM on 05/18/2012

The only way to remain a world power is to have a cost-effective and sustainable supply of it. The recent increase in gas prices has once again brought the issue of energy policy to the forefront of the American psyche.

Please visit http://chriscrosby.net/blog/2012/03/16/americas-gas-pains/

[Genders]

03:17 AM on 04/17/2012

Obsessing on the last few drops of oil and gas, while destroy the ocean ecosystems is not going to save us.

Stop all breaks fossil and nukes companies, put it into rooftop solar, offshore wind and waste bio char and biofuels.

plug in hybrid commuters cars plugged in at work to charge from solar is the answer to our oil crisis.

waste bio fuels can then replace the remaining applications with clean bio fuels without the radioactive heavy metals of fossils.

Haven't ya'll noticed that Shell has gotten sloppier? they now have twice the spills as last year. and why not? It didn't hurt BP. Nobody went to jail, the fines didn't even cause them to lose money.

They can't drill without spills. They are destroying our oceans!

[D-Driller]

03:35 AM on 04/02/2012

Full-scale seismic survey of the majority of the East Coast would cost billions. There has to be a lease sale at the end of the rainbow to undertake such a project. It would be best to wait until after the elections this year.

[Kenz300]

12:01 PM on 03/29/2012

Can oil companies drill in deep water safely?

It seems like several different oil companies have shown that they can not.

Oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of China and Brazil and in the North Sea makes you wonder if oil companies can operate safely. It seems as an industry either they do not have the technology to operate without spills or they do not care about safety and consider it a cost of doing business.

[D-Driller]

03:45 AM on 04/02/2012

I think the fact we can do it at all is pretty amazing, let alone with the excellent record we have. Have their been spills? You bet - in the US, two major ones in 40 years (SB in '69 and Macondo) Will there be more - yes. It's a tough business. Even NASA burned three astronauts to death, on the pad, during run-of-the-mill systems tests. But until we come up with the estimated $7.5 Trillion dollars to completely replace gas/diesel vehicles alone with electric ones, we need to drill for our own oil and produce as much as we can, hopefully using the royalties to develop new technologies, though let's face it, our government probably doesn't have the collective intelligence to think of such legislation.