offshore drilling

Cultural  

1. The operation of oil wells on the continental shelf, sometimes in water hundreds of feet deep.

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Public debate about offshore drilling concentrates on the possibility that large oil spills will occur, with subsequent damage to the coastal environment.

Example Sentences

A spokesman with the California Natural Resources Agency said the state remains committed to prohibiting new offshore drilling and protecting coastline communities.

From The Wall Street Journal

In California, much of the opposition to offshore drilling stems from memories of a 1969 oil spill off Santa Barbara that helped launch the environmental movement.

From The Wall Street Journal

Offshore drilling, however, hasn’t been part of the state’s efforts to expand production.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the weeks before the conference, oil and gas major Petrobras, was given licenses by the Brazilian government to explore offshore drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River.

From The Wall Street Journal

“These agencies don’t very lightly go to litigation or enforcement actions. ... and the public is strongly against offshore drilling. So those are a whole bunch of reasons that I think are going to be hard obstacles for that company.”

From Los Angeles Times