Arctic Drilling Halted for 2014 - Oceana

Victory | February 25, 2014

Arctic Drilling Halted for 2014

In late January, Shell’s new CEO announced that the company will not pursue any exploration drilling in the Arctic Ocean in 2014. This news came days after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Department of the Interior violated U.S. law in deciding to hold drilling Lease Sale 193, during which Shell  and other oil companies purchased leases in the Chukchi Sea. This ruling is in response to a lawsuit filed by Oceana and a coalition of conservation and Alaska Native partners, represented by Earthjustice. Shell encountered numerous problems and violations during its 2012 exploration attempt, including an incident when its drilling rig, the Kulluk, ran aground during a winter storm. Currently, there is no proven technology that would allow companies to drill safely in the Arctic. Despite Shell’s attempts, no exploration wells have been completed in the Arctic Ocean in more than 20 years.