Politics

Shell Continues Bid for Arctic Exploration

By Clare Foran and National Journal
The corporate logo of Shell, a Dutch petroleum company, is seen under a midafternoon sky in Kuala Lumpur on March 31, 2008. Malaysia's conservative Islamic party PAS on March 31 urged Muslims worldwide to launch a commercial boycott of Dutch products to protest against a film deemed insulting to Islam.  (National Journal)

Shell Oil, the U.S.-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, is continuing its bid to drill in Arctic waters, Fuel Fix reports.

On Wednesday, the company submitted planning documents with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management outlining a proposal for Arctic exploration, primarily in the Chukchi Sea, off the northern coast of Alaska.

The company still faces a number of regulatory hurdles, however, before it can begin to drill, and representatives for Shell said that it is far from certain that Arctic production will actually take place.

"We will continue to take a methodical approach to this exploration phase and will only proceed if the program meets the conditions necessary to proceed safely and responsibly," Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said.