NEW YORK — BP won’t say whether it will seek new permits to drill in the deep-water Gulf of Mexico now that the moratorium imposed after its massive spill has been lifted.
Other oil companies, such as Royal Dutch Shell, have made clear their intentions to begin drilling as soon as the government will let them. That day could be weeks or months away.
BP was the operator of the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded on April 20, killing 11 people and leading to the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. Four of its other deep-water drilling projects were halted by the moratorium imposed in late May.