Shell’s latest Arctic drilling endeavour has been given the go-ahead by the Obama administration, which now means that the Anglo-Dutch multinational can drill beneath the ocean floor off the coast of Alaska. Previously, the company was restricted to drilling the topmost sections of its two wells there, although the long awaited final permit means that the oil giant can extract Arctic oil and gas more freely at the so called Burger Prospect, Burger J.

Backers of the plan maintain that Arctic drilling will grow increasingly important as the century wears on

The permit was awarded after the company repaired a damaged icebreaker, and on the condition that Shell works with the utmost commitment to stringent health and safety measures. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) safety inspectors have been deployed on each of Shell’s drilling units, and they’re working “24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide continuous oversight and monitoring of all approved activities,” according to the BSEE in a statement.

“Activities conducted offshore Alaska are being held to the highest safety, environmental protection, and emergency response standards,” said Brian Salerno, Director of the BSEE. “Now that the required well control system is in place and can be deployed, Shell will be allowed to explore into oil-bearing zones for Burger J. We will continue to monitor their work around the clock to ensure the utmost safety and environmental stewardship.”

Backers of the plan maintain that Arctic drilling will grow increasingly important as the century wears on, and that the $7bn spent on the venture so far is justified on the basis that costs will fall dramatically in the decades to come.