Letter from the US: offshore gets that sinking feeling
Low-carbon ambitions could jeopardise national energy security if drilling moratorium proves permanent
Advocates for the US oil and gas sector are mulling the impact of a pause in drilling permits from President Joe Biden. Much of the conversation about US energy revolves around the handful of inland shale basins that account for more than 70pc of oil production. But legacy offshore output could also be adversely affected if the ban is extended. “Continued offshore oil and gas leasing and production is critical to maintaining affordable supplies of energy for all walks of life and for advancing our national security,” says Erik Milito, president of offshore body the National Ocean Industries Association. Milito was speaking at a virtual forum hosted by the Interior Department to vet the pause
Also in this section
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026
1 December 2025
The North African producer’s first bidding round in almost two decades is an important milestone but the recent extension suggests a degree of trepidation
