Trump Administration Approves Ultra-Deepwater Oil Drilling Plan [View all]

Last edited Sat Mar 14, 2026, 03:32 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NYT

The Trump administration on Friday approved a $5 billion oil drilling project in ultradeep waters of the Gulf of Mexico over protests from Democrats and environmental activists who said the venture posed significant risks to wildlife and communities.

The project by the British energy giant BP would be about 250 miles off the coast of Louisiana and is expected to start producing oil in 2029. The company projects it will deliver up to 10 billion barrels of oil by the end of this decade.

Known as Kaskida, it would be the company’s first new deepwater project in the Gulf since the Deepwater Horizon explosion in 2010, which set off the worst oil spill disaster in U.S. history.

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Opponents said the extreme pressure and high temperatures required to operate in waters deeper than 5,600 feet heighten the risk of a blowout that could endanger Gulf communities and the marine ecosystem.

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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/climate/trump-bp-gulf-of-mexico-drilling.html