ADN by Elizabeth Bluemink (NGP Photo).  Scientists say Alaska’s Arctic waters could hide a massive storehouse for oil and natural gas, estimated to nearly rival the onshore discoveries of the North Slope. Betting on that, Shell two years ago spent more than $2 billion to obtain leases in the two seas and mobilized hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of equipment to Alaska.

But after spending all that money, the oil company has been stymied. Environmentalists and North Slope governments sounded the alarm about potential impacts on bowhead whales and the possibility of oil spills. Both sued successfully to block the drilling during the past two summers.  More litigation to block next summer’s drilling is likely. The question for Shell’s Alaska executives remains whether they have revised their drilling plans enough to survive court scrutiny.  Until that is clear, they say their major challenge lies in obtaining a pair of air pollution permits …. more