The United States and Mexico agreed Monday to cooperate when drilling for oil and gas below their maritime border in the Gulf of Mexico. The deal was signed at a Mexican resort by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Mexico's foreign minister. Mexican President Felipe Calderon and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar were also there. Clinton said the deal, which stems from an understanding reached by U.S. President Barack Obama and Calderon in 2010, would "ensure safe, efficient, responsible exploration of oil and gas reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico." The U.S. Interior Department said the agreement will make about 1.5 million acres of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf more accessible for exploration and production activities. The area could contain 172 million barrels of oil and 304 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
