11,2 



Under em sting international law, 

 each coastal nation has "sovereign 

 rights" over its continental shelf for 

 the purpose of explori/iig it and 

 exploiting its natural resources. A 

 drilling vessel and jack-up platform 

 are seen on location- in the Gulf of 

 Mexico, wh ich for decades has been 

 the principal offshore source of 

 U.S.-produced oil. 



