The policy made sense in March 2010, when the president announced an oil-and-gas exploration policy that included Arctic exploration and excluded drilling near Bristol Bay, home to the richest salmon fishery in the world.
The Deepwater Horizon disaster in April 2010 put any new offshore work on hold for months. Now, however, the president again has said he wants to move ahead both offshore and onshore in the NPR-A, while keeping the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge off limits.
If he sticks with this plan, Conoco Phillips may get a chance to increase its North Slope production by tapping into the NPR-A, where the Army Corps of Engineers' refusal to allow a bridge has stalled plans.
And Shell likely will drill in Arctic waters, where huge reserves of oil and gas may await.
NPR-A development makes sense, and Shell's offshore exploration should give us a better idea of what's there.
As we've said before, the realistic choice isn't between "drill, baby, drill" and no drilling at all. Realistic choices reflect our need to produce more of our own oil and gas while working to increase use of renewable energy and cut consumption of fossil fuels. Barring some lightning-bolt breakthrough, we'll burn oil and gas for a long time on the road to a greener, cleaner energy future.
Even if they win the permits they seek, neither Shell nor Conoco will have an unqualified green light. They will still have to satisfy environmental safeguards and prevention and response requirements. In Shell's case, continued research and monitoring will run along with exploratory drilling. Rear Adm. Christopher Colvin, Coast Guard commander in Alaska, has said he's confident Shell can explore safely in the Arctic, operating in summer conditions. But he pointed out that production is another matter, and he wouldn't bless that yet. Ten years between exploration and production allows time to put the best possible prevention and response regimes in place.
Former U.S. Coast Guard commandant Thad Allen, head of the federal command for the Gulf oil spill, also has warned of serious hazards in Arctic work, as did the president's oil spill commission.
No question there is risk, and a lot of work to do before production -- if it pans out. But, as Sen. Mark Begich pointed out, our policy should be to develop with care. Exploration is a first step -- and a chance for Shell to show that it's operating with the best possible safeguards.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski's succinct summation of an American oil-and-gas energy policy hasn't lost its currency: Produce more, use less. Alaska's Arctic still has much to contribute on the production side.
BOTTOM LINE: Let Shell explore, let Slope producers tap NPR-A -- and keep a close watch.
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