A new Rasmussen poll shows that support for offshore oil and natural gas development is holding steady despite the Deepwater Horizon accident. In a survey conducted July 22-23 via telephone, 56 percent of U.S. voters think offshore drilling should be allowed, and 47 percent favor deepwater drilling.

Unfortunately, new offshore development has ground to a standstill, and shallow-water drilling operators have discovered that complying with the government's new requirements is quite difficult. Blogger Vladimir at RedState says, "Operators have encountered road blocks at every turn."

The recertification of blowout preventers (BOPs) is one of the major obstacles. Only a few firms are licensed to perform the certifications, creating a backlog of operators whose BOPs must be recertified before ge... more »

A new Rasmussen poll shows voters support offshore drilling more than ever.

The national Rasmussen Reports telephone survey found that 72 percent of registered voters favor offshore drilling, and only 12 percent are opposed. Rasmussen says this is the highest level of support for offshore drilling in the past three years.

The poll was conducted Wednesday and Thursday after President Obama announced plans to permit drilling in certain areas along U.S. coastlines. Interestingly, 59 percent of the voters polled said drilling also should be allowed off the coast of California and New England, which will remain closed under the president's plan.

Rasmussen reports that there is a huge division of opinion between "Mainstream" voters and what it terms the "Political Class." According to the poll,... more »