With gas prices rising, California residents are softening their long-held opposition to offshore drilling, a new opinion poll suggests.
Florida
In California, Support Grows for Offshore Drilling
Offshore oil drilling: An early jump in Florida
In March, four companies - Australia-based BHP Billiton Petroleum Deepwater Inc., Houston-based Anadarko E&P Co., Shell Offshore Inc. and Italian oil and natural gas company Eni SpA - purchased leases on 36 Gulf of Mexico tracts under the 2006 compromise.