Players dive in off North America

摘要

IF 2012 was the year the North American offshore drilling sector started regrouping after the Macondo blowout and spill, then 2013 will be a year of advancement - from the Gulf of Mexico, to Alaska and the North Atlantic. Since the 2010 Macondo disaster, deep-water operators have been under pressure. First with the drilling moratorium imposed on Gulf of Mexico operations, and then with the wholesale restructuring of federal regulatory agencies in the US. By 2012, permitting returned to pre-spill levels and government began the first sales of offshore leases in the Gulf of Mexico. According to Baker Hughes, there were 43 rigs working in federal offshore waters in the week ended 30 November; 22 of which were working in waters greater than 3,000 feet. This rig count is roughly comparable to pre-spill levels.