The US government on Monday has approved a major oil drilling project in the state of Alaska. The project has been under discussion for some time, and approval by President Joe Biden’s administration was widely expected. The project, called the “Willow Project”, is managed by the US oil company ConocoPhillips and will cost approximately 8 billion dollars (7.4 billion euros).
The drilling will take place in an area of 930,000 square kilometers of the National Petroleum Reserve, located in the North Slope region of northern Alaska. It is estimated that the drills will be able to extract up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day. The project has been supported by many, both among local politicians and among the population, who hope it will contribute to the creation of at least 2,500 jobs. Instead, it has been much contested by environmental organizations and some groups of Native Americans who live in the region, according to which the drilling will compromise the delicate balance of the local ecosystem.
(Associated Press)