据道琼斯8月17日消息,美国内政部最终批准壳牌公司钻取一口勘探井进入到北冰洋含油区域。今年7月,美国政府已经允许壳牌只能在含油区域上方进行钻探活动,因为当时壳牌公司没能提供一艘应对特别紧急状况的船只,当前该船只已经出现在该区域。自2007年以来壳牌公司已经在该区域花费了约70亿美元,但是还没有显示该地区拥有石油,因为截至目前公司还没有进行钻井活动,更不必说有任何的石油发现。如果公司在该区域发现了石油,那么还需要申请开始生产石油的许可证。
庞晓华摘译自道琼斯
原文如下:
Shell Gets Federal OK to Drill for Oil in Arctic
The Interior Department gave a final green light to allow Royal Dutch Shell to drill one exploratory well into oil-bearing zones in the Arctic Ocean. In July, the government had allowed Shell to drill to only the top of the oil-bearing zone because it didn't have a particular emergency response vessel on hand, which is now present in the region. The company has spent some $7B in the region since 2007 and has literally zero oil to show for it, since it hasn't drilled for it yet, let alone discovered any. If the company discovers oil--still an if--it would need additional permits to begin producing the oil.