Interior Secretary Ken Salazar added notes of uncertainty Monday to what seemed like almost a foregone conclusion weeks ago: That Shell would win approval to drill exploratory oil wells in Arctic waters off Alaska’s coast this summer.

“It’s a dynamic situation with Shell. We don’t know yet what will be happening this summer, what will be happening in the next 10 or 20 days,” Salazar told reporters on a conference call from Alaska, noting final decisions are planned in the “next several weeks.”

Shell has faced a number of challenges en route to beginning long-planned, long-delayed drilling this summer, including sea ice that has lingered longer than expected, narrowing the short drilling window.

But Salazar – who has yet to provide final drilling permits – said Shell’s biggest problems are of its own making, noting that the company has yet to secure U.S. Coast Guard sign-off for its Arctic Challenger spill containment barge.

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