In its quest to remove oil from western Colorado’s shale, Royal Dutch Shell has been buying land and water rights in anticipation of what is likely to be a thirsty new industry.

The delta rebel group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, has pledged to continue the attacks unless the government increases sharing of oil wealth, government budget transparency and local control of oil property.

Nonexistent just three decades ago, oil production in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico now accounts for nearly three-fourths of the offshore region’s crude output and has become a vital piece of the nation’s energy supply, according to a government report released Monday.