AMERICA’S ENERGY FORUM Bringing experts and verifiable facts to the energy discussion

Offshore Moratorium

With advances in technology and stringent standards and procedures based on decades of experience — we have the resources and know-how to safely and efficiently develop our domestic resources to create jobs, revenue and energy security for our nation.

Unfortunately, the Obama Administration’s decision to place a moratorium on offshore energy production until 2017 blocks the industry’s ability to develop these resources.

In 2008, Congress allowed a 26-year federal moratorium on offshore energy production to expire.  Then, in March 2010, the Administration opened up some areas for offshore oil and natural gas exploration.

Following the Deepwater Horizon spill, however, the Administration ordered a six-month suspension on the issuance of permits for new deepwater oil and gas wells, suspended the exploration in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas until 2011, canceled the August lease sale in the western Gulf of Mexico and the proposed lease sale off the coast of Virginia, and halted activity on 33 deep water wells being drilled in the Gulf of Mexico.

Then, in December 2010, the Obama Administration placed a moratorium on offshore production in the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf of Mexico through 2017. 

While the Deepwater Horizon incident was tragic, the moratorium is preventing us from tapping the new energy resources we need to meet America’s growing energy demand, boost our flagging economy, and increase our energy and national security. Research shows the overwhelming majority of Americans (72% in a recent Rasmussen Reports survey) support increasing offshore production and feel it is the right thing to do.

The effort to end these delays has drawn overwhelming public support.  As the country and policy-makers are asking for greater access to domestic energy supplies, we need greater bipartisan support to actually do just that.  Policymakers need to understand the impact  these domestic oil and natural gas resources will have on every sector of our economy and in every household in America.

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