Offshore Oil Drilling | featured news

BP's attempt to plug the Gulf oil leak with mud and cement has failed, yet another setback in the company's attempt to stop the crude from further fouling waters, wildlife and marshland.

As crews pump mud in "top kill" maneuver, scientists increase estimate of oil flow; Minerals Management Service director leaves her job.

President Barack Obama will announce on Thursday that a moratorium on deepwater oil drilling will continue for six months while a commission studies the reasons for the Gulf of Mexico spill, a White House aide said.

The federal agency charged with regulating the oil industry has allowed the industry largely to police itself, records show.

Sarah Palin, who popularized the "drill, baby, drill" slogan, continues to support drilling but targets blame for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill at foreign companies.

Former FEMA director Michael Brown is not backing off his charge that the Obama administration wants to use the Gulf Coast oil spill as a plot to put an end to offshore drilling.

Administration wants investigations into a rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico to be completed before any expansion of offshore oil drilling.

BP Plc will clean up an oil spill from one of its wells in the Gulf of Mexico and compensate those affected, its chief executive said, accepting that the disaster could hit plans to open new areas off the U.S. coast to drilling.

New estimates show 5,000 barrels of oil a day could be spilling out of remains of offshore rig.

In a reversal of a long-standing ban on most offshore drilling, President Obama is allowing oil drilling 50 miles off Virginia's shore.