Cuba's Oil

Cuban waters are rich with oil and natural gas. The abundance of the oil resource has not been lost on international entrepreneurs. In light of the Deep Water Horizon disaster, we know that spilled oil knows no boundaries. As a nation in the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba may not be required to submit to political counterforce, environmental regulations, or safety requirements decried by American regulators. Is Cuba prepared to react or contain a blowout similar to Deepwater Horizon? Will the U.S. trade embargo or antagonistic political relationships prove problematic should Cuba expand their drilling capabilities?
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Peter Neill, Director of the W2O and host of World Ocean Radio, provides coverage of a broad spectrum of ocean issues from science and education to advocacy and exemplary projects. World Ocean Radio, a project of the World Ocean Observatory, is a weekly series of five-minute audio essays available for syndicated use at no cost by community radio stations worldwide.