US president Barack Obama is expected to back new proposals to drill for oil and gas off the coast of Virginia, reports indicate.

According to Reuters, the leader will unveil the plans tomorrow (March 31st) alongside secretary of the interior Ken Salazar.

There has been a moratorium in place on offshore drilling in the US for nearly three decades and Obama has paid close attention to the pros and cons of recommencing drilling in states such as Virginia and Florida.

It is hoped the initiative would provide local jobs through training and development programmes, as well as reducing America's reliance on foreign oil.

Speaking to the news agency, a senior Interior Department official said the proposals could open up as much as two-thirds of the available oil and gas reserves in the Eastern Gulf to exploration and development.

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