Wow! How Time Passes! The First Post-Moratorium Well in the Gulf On-Line

Link here.

BHP Billiton Petroleum announced that it is the first company in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico to bring a newly drilled well into production since the moratorium was enacted in May 2010. The well was brought into production on 30 May 2011 on the BHP Billiton operated Shenzi field.

The SB-201 well was drilled to a total measured depth of 25,126 feet and is currently producing approximately 17,000 barrels of oil per day. This is the eleventh producing well within the Shenzi field and our ongoing development program will ensure that this operated tension-leg platform (TLP) remains a significant contributor to BHP Billiton's high value, Gulf of Mexico production.

I guess the story of more turtles than ever after the gulf spill was the tipping point in making decision to go ahead with drilling.

Or maybe the administration didn't like the idea of $5.00 gasoline and stories of the continued permitorium in the Gulf.