NEW ORLEANS —The federal government’s first auction of offshore petroleum leases in the same area where the Deepwater Horizon exploded in 2010 brought in $1.7 billion in winning bids Wednesday.

Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar called the sale robust and said it demonstrated that the drilling industry was returning to levels seen before BP PLC’s catastrophic oil spill forced the federal government to scale back production in the Gulf of Mexico and impose sweeping new safety measures and requirements.

“We’re back. The rigs are back,” Salazar said. “It’s proof positive that the oil and gas industry is confident that they can meet the heightened safety requirements that we have instituted since the Deepwater Horizon.”

 

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2 Comments on "Record High Bids Seen in First Central Gulf Sale Since Deepwater Horizon"

paul on Thu, 21st Jun 2012 12:17 pm 



“It’s proof positive that the oil and gas industry is confident that they can meet the heightened safety requirements that we have instituted since the Deepwater Horizon.”

How? Exactly?

BillT on Thu, 21st Jun 2012 2:41 pm 



paul, there has been no change in any safety measures. There is no way to prevent what happened from happening again. and Again. The government covered for BP and will do so again. It’s all about profit and keeping the Empire going a few more years, not saving the environment or lives.