Washington, 15 September 2010

 The Obama administration  is unlikely to extend its six-month ban on deepwater drilling because of the progress the industry has shown since the massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April, an Interior Department official said on Tuesday.

Michael Bromwich, head of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, said he has been impressed with strides the oil and gas industry has made on spill response and containment since the drilling ban was imposed.

Ends --

Reuters - for Commodities Now.