Exploratory Drilling In Alaska's Beaufort Sea Approved

ANCHORAGE, AK — Exploratory drilling in Alaska's Beaufort Sea has been conditionally approved by federal regulators.

Eni US Operating Co. Inc., part of the Italian multinational oil and gas company Eni S.p.A., plans to drill four exploration wells from Spy Island, an artificial gravel island in state waters, beginning in December.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced conditional approval of the exploratory drilling plan late Wednesday. The conditions include obtaining permits to drill from Alaska and other federal agencies. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Environmental groups object to Arctic offshore drilling and say potential spills put polar bears, bowhead whales and other marine mammals at risk.

Kristen Monsell of the Center for Biological Diversity says Eni's plan calls for extended-reach wells that could stretch more than 6 miles into federal waters.

Photo credit: “Beaufort Sea coastline” by ShoreZone is licensed under CC BY 2.0