Rep. Green sees gulf progress during Offshore Energy Tour

From left are Reps. Gene Green, Steven Palazzo and Steve Scalise aboard the Noble Energy Bully 1 deepwater drill ship.

The success of Shell's production and progress toward restoring the gulf economy highlights Rep. Gene Green's tour of the region.

During the Offshore Energy Tour, Green, representative for the 29th Congressional District of Texas, toured the Shell Brutus 1 in the Gulf of Mexico. While there, he received information about the strides the region has been taking after recent offshore drilling issues. Production in the gulf provides 30 percent of the United States' domestic crude oil supply.

"I was glad to see that the Gulf of Mexico is heading in the right direction and getting back to work," said Green in a press release. "There is still a lot of room for improvement, but the increase in permitting and production has been crucial in securing American jobs, boosting investment in the local economies and promoting our energy independence."

Prior to the moratorium, the average time from an original submission to final approval was 50 days. Shell's exploration plan for deepwater work was approved in 100 days and required a site environmental assessment.

On Noble Energy's Bully 1 deepwater drill ship, members of the tour had lunch with Shell employees to hear firsthand stories about how their lives have been affected by the moratorium.