Chevron (NYSE:CVX), Hess (NYSE:HES), Shell (NYSE:RDS-A), Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO), Noble Energy (NYSE:NBL) Among 13 Companies Allowed to Resume Deepwater Gulf Drilling

The Obama administration has finally removed the barriers for 13 companies to resume drilling in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP (NYSE:BP) oil spill, including Chevron (NYSE:CVX), Hess (NYSE:HES), Shell (NYSE:RDS-A), Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) and Noble Energy (NYSE:NBL).

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) announced Monday that it has contacted the 13 companies saying they could probably resume drilling without having to go through the process of submitting a revised exploration or development plans.

Rising gas prices and growing dependence on foreign oil, along with the loss of jobs was creating a growing public outcry and criticism of the Obama administration for its tactics in keeping the oil industry from resuming drilling in the Gulf.

BOEMRE director Michael R. Bromwich said, “For those companies that were in the midst of operations at the time of the deepwater suspensions, today's notification is a significant step toward resuming their permitted activity.”

Also being notified were ATP Oil & Gas (Nasdaq:ATPG), BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP), Cobalt International Energy (NYSE:CIE), ENI U.S. Operating Co. Inc.; Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas (NYSE:KMG), Murphy (NYSE:MUR), Statoil (NYSE:STO), and Walter Oil & Gas (NYSE:WLT).