Federal government approves 10th post-ban deep-water drilling project

[Baclava]

10th permit issued to drill in the deep

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators on Friday gave Statoil permission to drill a deep-water well – the 10th project approved since such work was halted after last year’s Gulf spill.

Under the permit, Statoil will be allowed to drill a new well in 7,813 feet of water in its Logan prospect, 219 miles off the Louisiana shoreline, south of Houma. The Norwegian oil company is slated to drill the well with the Discoverer Americas, a Transocean drillship that is en route back to the Gulf of Mexico from Egyptian waters.

Statoil contracted with the Houston-based Helix Well Containment Group to meet requirements that it show how it will respond to any blowout at the Cobra project. It has contracted the competing Marine Well Containment Co. for the new Logan prospect well – becoming the first operator to contract with both containment companies on separate Gulf drilling projects.

In a signal that the regulators now consider the approval of deep-water drilling permits routine, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement said it no longer will highlight them in news releases for reporters

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/04/09/10th-permit-issued-to-drill-in-the-deep/

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Rachael Maddow: If BOP’s are the backup plan, there IS NO backup plan

http://bpoil.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/rachael-maddow-if-bops-are-the-backup-plan-there-is-no-backup-plan/