Chevron, ExxonMobil Dropped Drilling Permits Offshore BC

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Oil majors Chevron Corp. and ExxonMobil announced their decision to retire Pacific seabed drilling rights offshore of British Columbia (BC) following prolonged opposition from environmentalists. The Geological Survey of Canada had estimated up to 40 Tcf of natural gas and 10 billion bbl of oil to the recently abandoned region.

Christopher Mazerolle, President, Chevron Canada, made the announcement to retire 19 drilling permits on 5,700 square kilometres offshore central BC, following talks with the federal government. The company has been in communication with Natural Resources Canada since 2020 on the opportunity to contribute to the international marine conservation targets set by the government, Mazerolle said.

Meantime, ExxonMobil confirmed dropping of its nine Pacific drilling permits in an area about 440 kilometers northwest of Vancouver.

It must be noted that the World Wildlife Fund Canada and the David Suzuki Foundation had filed lawsuit against the companies as well as the provincial and federal governments, demanding permanent prohibition of offshore industry. Incidentally, there exists a permanent prohibition of offshore industry.

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:

Chevron Targets Output Boost from Offshore Project Development

ExxonMobil Announced Successful Startup of Beaumont Refinery Expansion