SHELL STARTS PERDIDO - WORLD'S DEEPEST OFFSHORE DRILLING AND PRODUCTION FACILITY

This video explains the steps that Shell Oil has gone through to get the world's deepest offshore drilling and production facility on line. It was started in 1996 when they purchased the lease in 8,000 feet of water in the Gulf and has taken until 2010 to complete the drilling and production facility and be ready to deliver the oil and gas they discovered.

The difference is that Shell Oil doesn't cut corners, makes a full investment knowing it is going to be years to get this on line, and doesn't have a problem with safety that BP seems to have.

It has taken Shell 14 years to be ready for production. In researching, discovered that the oil-drilling lease that has led to this disaster in the Gulf was sold to BP in 2007. You don't have to be an oil production expert to figure out that a company who takes 14 years versus three years might have a better idea of what is required to drill in deep water. Shell most likely wasn't changing their plans to cut corners and save money either.

Instead of declaring a moratorium on any drilling in the Gulf for six months maybe this Administration should be looking at what Shell has done right and encourage others companies who want to drill in deep water to follow Shell's example.