1. Natalie
EN 101- Definition Essay
April 16, 2015
Offshore Drilling in the Atlantic: Overview
Drilling for oil and natural gas has been around for over 100 years and has been a vital
aspect of many countries economic growth. This has been a hot topic in recent debates, and has
the potential to implement substantial change in our nation. The idea of drilling for oil and
natural gas in the Atlantic has sparked many environmentalists’ concerns and has been keeping
big oil companies on their toes. According to The Center for Biological Diversity, after the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, lack of oil rig restrictions and many “categorical
exclusions”- waivers that exempt them from in-depth environmental review, have become
roadblocks that proponents of the offshore drilling are facing (Gale Document). With two very
different perspectives – the need for fossil fuels versus environmental concerns -on the subject, it
is important to take a deeper look into the details of this ongoing dispute and do what is best for
the United States.
Crude oil is a fossil fuel, as well as natural gas. Oil is mainly used in machinery and
vehicles, but can also be used for heating. Natural gas is used a lot in homes for cooking, heating
and electricity generation. Oil, however; is mainly recognized for its role in fueling jets, trucks,
and other machines with combustible engines. They are both found beneath the earth’s surface,
which mandates drilling to receive these fuels. Edward L. Morse, the Global Head of
Commodities Research at Citi, explains that in recent years, natural gas production has risen 25
percent and oil production has risen 60 percent.- exceeding Russia, who is the world’s largest
producer of gas in the world, and coming up on Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer

2. (Morse). Both extracted from the U.S. Energy Information Administration website, it is said that
Saudi Arabia was projected to reach about 12 million bbl/d of crude oil, as the U.S. produced
about 9.2 million bbl/d (U.S. Energy Information Administration). These ^ projected (?) growths
in America’s oil and gas production will essentially change energy markets worldwide, and
America will become less dependent on other countries for these resources.
The battle between economic growth and environmental safety and conservation has been
the two largest issues on this topic. Many different parties are involved including the Obama
Administration, the oil companies such as BP and Shell, Interior Department, Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, and the Environmental Protection Agency. According to an article in the
New York times ^ published on January 15, 2015 by Carol Davenport, “In an announcement that
outraged environmentalists and brought grudging cheers from the oil and gas industry, the
Interior Department unveiled the latest part of its five-year plan for the government to sell leases
for oil and gas development in federal waters from 2017-2022” (Davenport). This was a
monumental statement for many animal and environmental activists who firmly believe that
since the BP disaster, the risk is not worth the reward. The Environmental Protection Agency and
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management play an important role in keeping drilling as safe and
clean as possible. The Clean Water Act ^ created (?) under the EPA is the primary federal law in
the United States ruling and overseeing water pollution. The EPA establishes effluent limitation
guidelines through a rigorous process to evaluate potential impacts, solicit public review and
comment, and set restrictions on the volume and composition of discharges to comply with
applicable water quality standards, which are then incorporated into the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting process (Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management). Between all of the different organizations and laws governing air, water, and

3. noise pollution, and the strong desire and force behind oil companies and other proponents of
offshore drilling, it has become a very passionate subject ^for many.
Separate from government agencies, the Natural Resources Defense Council, a non-profit
environmental group (NRDC), and the Sierra Club, the nation's largest and most influential
grassroots environmental organizations (Sierra Club) are two anti-oil drilling groups that stand
up against the eastern shore controversy. Aimed towards energy efficiency, cleaner waters, and
coast conservation, these are just a couple of the groups ^who are advocates for protecting the
planet, and are strongly against Atlantic oil production. and advocates of protecting the planet.
Our nation as a whole needs to take information from all sides ^of the issue into
consideration involving the oil companies, the environmental agencies, and just simply, the
reality of drilling for oil in the Atlantic. As Many may not see it, ^but there is room for
compromise in such a paramount decision. It is not necessarily whether to drill or not, but maybe
to implement more stringent laws and restrictions on production and the production process.
With this being said, there are always two sides to every story ^and it is important to understand
those sides before coming to a decision.