Interior sets list for Gulf drilling halt

Stopping work: MMS names operators affected by Gulf drilling halt.

LUKOIL

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Noah Brenner

 28 May 2010 20:40 GMT

The US Department of Interior is drawing up the paperwork that will order operators in the deep-water US Gulf to stop drilling activity and has named the operators affected by the halt.



The operation “may take a few days,” an Interior representative told UpstreamOnline, and deep-water operators are not required to stop their rigs until they receive a notice.

“The safety repot recommended these actions; the president accepted the recommendations and directed the secretary to order them; Interior is in the process of implementing those orders,” Interior spokesman Frank Quimby said in an email response to questions.

“The companies are correct that they should not act on the basis of the report or release.”

Some operators had reportedly already begin to shut down but…

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