Houston – During an Offshore Energy Tour hosted by Rep. Steve Scalise (LA-01), Rep. Gene Green toured the Shell Brutus 1 in the Gulf of Mexico, noting the success of Shell’s production and progress toward restoring the Gulf economy.

“I was glad to see that the Gulf of Mexico is heading in the right direction and getting back to work. There is still a lot of room for improvement but the increase in permitting and production has been crucial in securing American jobs, boosting investment in the local economies, and promoting our energy independence.”

Production in the Gulf of Mexico is critical to the nation as it provides 30 percent of the United States’ domestic crude oil supply.

Prior to the moratorium, the average final approval time from an original submission to final approval was 50 days. Shell’s exploration plan for the deepwater work was approved in about 100 days and required a site specific environmental assessment.

On Noble Energy’s Bully 1 deepwater drill ship, Members had the opportunity to have lunch with Shell employees and hear their stories first-hand on how their lives have been affected by the moratorium.

From left to right: Rep. Gene Green, Rep. Steven Palazzo, and Rep. Steve Scalise aboard the Noble Energy Bully 1 deepwater drill ship