The Florida tourist industry, backed by almost all state, county and municipal government leaders, has for decades opposed exploring for oil and natural gas off the state's coast. The risk of damage to the tourism industry from, for instance, a drilling rig blowout that fouls Florida beaches, was too great, industry leaders have said. ...more

November 29, 2008

Less than two months into the job in the oilfields of West Texas, Brandon Garrett was sliced in half by a motorized spool of steel cable as he and co-workers struggled to get a drilling rig up and running. ...more

September 11, 2008

As President Bush calls for repealing a ban on drilling off most of the coast of the United States, a shortage of ships used for deep-water offshore drilling promises to impede any rapid turnaround in oil exploration and supply. ...more

June 19, 2008