Though US regulators have decided to allow a second deepwater Gulf of Mexico drilling project, don’t bet on a rush of permits to follow, FBR Capital Markets says. Instead, expect “a long period of slow approvals” as offshore regulators work through a “sustained bottleneck” of drilling permit applications that face much more scrutiny since the Deepwater Horizon disaster, firm says. Near-term drilling is likely to be for wells begun before the April blow-out and in depths within range of spill containment systems, FBR says. BHP Billiton’s (BHP) permit to resume drilling a well in 4,234 feet of water meets those criteria.
(c) 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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A Ukrainian drone attack struck a tanker docked at the Russian port of Rostov-on-Don early Thursday, resulting in casualties among the ship’s crew and sparking a fire at the facility,...
Remote-access malware discovered aboard an Italian-operated ferry in Sète has prompted arrests, an intelligence-led investigation, and fears of state-backed interference.
Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA resumed loading crude and fuel cargoes on Wednesday after suspending operations at terminals on Sunday due to a cyberattack, although most exports remain on hold as the U.S. threatens to enforce a blockade on tankers under sanctions, according to three company sources, traders and shipping data.
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