The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[OakesCS]

They can’t simply flip these projects on and off like a light switch.

that's correct but it also applies to the utilization of the rigs elsewhere. Not that i'm an expert on this but what i've read indicates 0.5 to 1.5 yrs between initiation of planning a drilling program and spudding in. I don't think there are enough proposed drilling programs close enough to completing their planning stages to utilize the semi-subs made available by the moratorium. Brazil will take some but the US and Brazil were utilizing most of these rigs. The rest of the world isn't close.

I suspect this case will race thru the courts. The 5th circuit court is mostly composed of Reagan and Bush (I & II) appointees so i doubt if they will go Obama's way and likewise for the Supreme Court. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Congress tries to pre-empt any SC ruling. In anycase, I suspect the regulatory agencies can gum this up so that the moratorium becomes a de facto result regardless of what the SC says.