Arctic drilling creeps forward now, and in 5 years

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) ? A spokesman for Shell Oil says the company expects to receive final federal authorization to begin drilling exploratory wells off Alaska's northern coasts by late July.

Curtis Smith says successful testing of a "capping stack" off Bellingham, Wash., on Monday was one of the final hurdles.

Capping stacks are designed to kill an undersea oil well blowout by providing a seal on a malfunctioning blowout preventer. One will be carried on a Shell support vessel accompanying drill ships.

Environmental groups contend the government erred by approving Shell's Arctic spill response plans.

Attorney Holly Harris of Earthjustice says that Shell has overstated its ability to respond to a worst-case scenario spill in open water. And she says no oil company has demonstrated it can clean up a spill in ice.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-07-01-Shell-Arctic%20Offshore%20Drilling/id-ce290eabf959409485a59c492cf5690f

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