US regulators on Friday approved Shell's exploration plan for Alaska's Chukchi Sea, a major factor the company said it needs before deciding whether to start Arctic drilling next summer.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management signed off on the six-well plan, but attached several conditions to mitigate against risks posed by the difficult terrain. The approval does not allow Shell to start exploration, as it must obtain separate drilling permits for each well.
One condition requires Shell to leave sufficient time at the end of Alaska's short drilling season to respond to potential oil spills before the onset of sea ice. BOEM said Shell must stop drilling 38 days before the first date of expected "ice encroachment" above the drill site, which they estimated to be November 1 based on five years of weather data.
Shell must also demonstrate that it has adequate equipment to respond to a blowout, including a well capping and containment system.
BOEM said the Chukchi plan also has outstanding obligations to the Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. "Our scientists and subject matter experts have carefully scrutinized
Shell's proposed activities," BOEM Director Tommy Beaudreau said in a statement. "We will continue to work closely with agencies across the federal government to ensure that Shell complies with the conditions we have imposed on its exploration plan and all other applicable safety, environmental protection and emergency response standards."
BOEM has already given conditional approval to Shell's separate exploration plan for the nearby Beaufort Sea.
