ANCHORAGE — The Obama administration has given Royal Dutch Shell PLC approval to begin limited exploratory oil drilling off Alaska's northwest coast. The two permits issued Wednesday clear the way for drilling in Chukchi Sea but with conditions. Shell can only drill the top sections of wells because the company doesn't have on site the critical emergency response equipment to cap the well in case of a leak. That equipment is aboard a ship headed to Portland, Oregon, for repairs. The Interior Department's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said in a statement that Shell could submit an amended application for deeper drilling when the capping stack can be deployed within 24 hours. “Without question, activities conducted offshore Alaska must be held to the highest safety, environmental protection and emergency response standards,” said the bureau's director, Brian Salerno. The department had given a conditional OK in May to Shell's drilling plan, pending the company's ability to obtain all necessary permits from state and federal agencies. — AP
