An offshore petroleum regulator in Nova Scotia said Dutch supermajor Shell has consent to start an exploratory drilling program in the region’s deep waters. The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board said Shell Canada Ltd. has consent for operations about 150 miles off the provincial coast. “After an extensive regulatory review process, Shell Canada has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the CNSOPB that it will be taking all reasonable precautions to protect safety and the environment while carrying out the drilling program,” Stuart Pinks, the board’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. Nova Scotia’s government estimates there may be up to 120 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 8 billion barrels of oil offshore . Shell first acquired six-year exploration licenses […]