Change Of Heart?

Doubtful....
My  guess is some internal polling along with the House Republicans hammering him daily on the price of gasoline has forced his hand.
Drill baby drill.

The White House will take a series of steps — including expediting drilling plans on government lands in Alaska — designed to show that the administration is serious about expanding domestic oil production and lowering gas prices.

President Obama announced Saturday the government would hold annual onshore lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve; extend the life of leases in the Gulf of Mexico and in some areas off the coast of Alaska for one year; speed up ongoing Interior Department testing in the mid- and south-Atlantic to gauge the level of resources; and establish an interagency task force to coordinate permitting for offshore drilling in Alaska.

The White House is making the policy shifts after taking intense criticism from Republicans in recent weeks over energy policy as gas prices have topped $4 per gallon in some parts of the

Barry also knows that just the hint of changing energy policy will lower gas prices, its how markets work...Supply and demand.
Barry is in full campaign mode. This is all about getting the price at the pump down enough to quell the anger..