![\"AP](\"http:\/\/static.businessinsider.com\/image\/4b59bf740000000000121303\/ap-shell.jpg\")
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This morning’s announcement that the Obama Administration is allowing further exploration studies and drilling in Alaskan, Mid-Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico<\/a> oil reserves has produced one big winner.<\/p>\n Basically, this is a massive coup for Shell.<\/p>\n On March 23, Nexen and Shell<\/a> announced a major finding of oil in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Shell<\/a> has previously discovered significant reserves in the area. Total reserves in the Eastern Gulf are estimated as high as 2.78 billion barrels of oil<\/a>.<\/p>\n And Shell<\/a> also has control of the Beaufort and Chukchi Sea<\/a> areas in Alaska with potential oil production of 9.8 billion barrels by 2057<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Federal government bought back control of several natural gas and oil sites near the coast of Florida which were owned by Chevron, Conoco, and Murphy Oil in 2002<\/a>. So while Shell may have won big in the short term, other oil and exploration companies seem prepared to strike in the medium term.<\/p>\n Shares of Shell are up less than .5% on the news.<\/p>\n