Shell Oil Overcomes Obsticles to Drill in Arctic Ocean

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Tobia

Social climber
Denial
Topic Author's Original Post - May 11, 2015 - 05:04pm PT
Despite common sense concerning the high risk of drilling in such a remote area of the Arctic Ocean, a 1000 miles from the nearest Coast Guard Station equipped to handle any type of oil spill, distant from any any deep-water port or roads to big cities Shell Oil gets the nod to drill in the Chukchi Sea.

Makes no sense to me.


thebravecowboy

climber
liberated libertine
May 11, 2015 - 05:23pm PT
pimpin' ain't easy, as the man said.

still though, that dollar turns and so it's done.
nita

Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
May 11, 2015 - 05:38pm PT
Tobia,
mmmm..Obsticless ..
Oh...and i agree..

Stewart

Trad climber
Courtenay, B.C.
May 11, 2015 - 06:27pm PT
It's so reassuring to realize that the inmates are running the asylum.
rottingjohnny

Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
May 11, 2015 - 06:35pm PT
Gotta have gas to keep the freeways log jammed...
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
May 11, 2015 - 06:56pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
sawatch choss
May 11, 2015 - 07:52pm PT
One hopes they've learned something since this happened:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/magazine/the-wreck-of-the-kulluk.html
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 11, 2015 - 08:27pm PT
Makes no sense to me.

What doesn't, that they didn't consult you?
Tobia

Social climber
Denial
Topic Author's Reply - May 12, 2015 - 05:30am PT
Reilly, no need for the sarcasm; I'll be glad to explain why I see it as senseless to open up the area for oil or gas drilling.

Is it absolutely necessary at this point? In a word, no. The Atlantic Coastal waters have been opened recently, and those waters pale in comparison to the hazards of the Arctic.

I've worked in the offshore drilling field. Although it has been many years since I have done so; there is not much evidence that there is any change in their respect for the environment. It is both appalling and scandalous.

No matter what information is disseminated about safety or plans designed to prevent damage to the environment during drilling procedures or catastrophic events, it is virtually impossible to control such occurrences. I've seen it with my own eyes what goes on in the day to day operation of of a drilling platform. It isn't pretty, and not far from reckless.

Even if this were not the case, why risk such a fragile habitat? When considering the remoteness of the area and the temperament of the weather and waters there, the odds of a catastrophe are too great.

Ed H

Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
May 12, 2015 - 07:01am PT
Thanks for the Times link RR
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
May 12, 2015 - 07:04am PT
New investigation shows troubling correlation between campaign giving and approval of publicly-funded oil and gas projects

The investigation found:
  A proposed Shell petrochemical refinery in Pennsylvania is in line for $1.6bn (£1bn) in state subsidy, according to a deal struck in 2012 when the company made an annual profit of $26.8bn.

 ExxonMobil’s upgrades to its Baton Rouge refinery in Louisiana are benefitting from $119m of state subsidy, with the support starting in 2011, when the company made a $41bn profit.

 A jobs subsidy scheme worth $78m to Marathon Petroleum in Ohio began in 2011, when the company made $2.4bn in profit.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 12, 2015 - 07:18am PT
Tobia, you don't need to splain - I worked up there. Yes, it is counter-intuitive but not as crazy
as it seems. Would I prefer they didn't? Probably, but I'm not gonna lose sleep over it. I
remember when the North Slope was being developed and the hand-wringers were out in
force predicting the end, particularly as regards The Pipeline. 40 years on and the biggest
spill was caused by a wacko shooting holes in it. And remember all the wildlife 'experts'
telling us how the pipeline was going to stop the caribou migration? PFFFT!. The 'bou
freaking LOVE the pipeline!* It's the only shade around on a hot day PLUS they've come
to appreciate Bernoulli's Effect by standing under it to assuage the skeeters. The ramps the
'experts' mandated because they 'knew' the 'bou would be afraid to walk under the pipe? Only
used by the bulls to stand guard over their harems. What self-respecting 'bou would waste
energy walking over the pipe? They're not as dumb as a self-anointed 'expert'.

Now, does any of this relate to the Chukchi project? Only in that technology and good
management can achieve wonders.


*Not to mention you have to shoo them away from yer truck in the morning so you can get in it.
thebravecowboy

climber
liberated libertine
May 12, 2015 - 08:58am PT
you ever seen one of those pagodas made of butter, Reilly?
Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
May 12, 2015 - 09:22am PT
I'm curious what obsticles were overcome?

Seems like Shell got helped along by everyone from the Feds to the Port Of Seattle.
Ward Trotter

Trad climber
May 12, 2015 - 11:50am PT
I haven't looked into this recently but over the last few years there has been increasing talk of the Russians asserting their dominance in the Arctic regions.

Therefore its not simply a matter of Greenpeace vs. Big Bad Evil Oil Companies-- because the whole thing is getting a whole lot more complicated:

europe.eu — As Russia’s relations with the West deteriorate, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said that a large share of the country’s military units will be deployed along the whole Arctic belt from Murmansk to the Chukotka Peninsula. “We have moved into the Arctic rather actively and this year we shall have many units deployed along the Arctic Belt - in fact from Murmansk to the Chukotka Peninsula,” he told the Defense Ministry’s board meeting on October 21. “This is fundamental, large-scale work,” Shoigu added.
http://oilpro.com/links/detail/9140/russian-military-to-defend-arctic-oil-and-gas-reserves

Greenpeace attempted some sort of harassment of certain recently built Russkie oil rigs a few months ago but promptly departed when the Russians flashed a few of their gunboats and planes nearby. The Russkies are not going to be browbeat by a few US college kids trying to save the world.If someone is going to mess with their stuff they are going to shoot first and not ask questions later.

Like I said, I don't know for certain but I can wildly speculate that the US and and some oil companies are engaged in a lot of stuff behind the scenes as regards the Russians. Maybe the Russkies are known to be considering ultimately tapping into some of these national boundary reserves secretly using some novel technology, I don't know.

What I do know is that resource exploitation and sea traffic is increasing in the Arctic with the melting ice. Sooner or later these new situations are bound to cause deepening trouble way beyond the usual suspect environmental concerns.
rick sumner

Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
May 12, 2015 - 11:55am PT
And a hostile administrations various agencies Paul. Of course it didn't help running aground off Kodiak with the gulf of Mexico disaster fresh on everyones mind. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a real elephant out there and a revenue split from the Feds to the state.
Ward Trotter

Trad climber
May 12, 2015 - 12:22pm PT
Unfortunately the US is well behind the eight ball in establishing coast guard and naval bases in our Arctic waters. The closest Coast Guard base is on Kodiak Island.

That's because traditionally our northern defenses were largely based upon ICBM, SAC and Sub deterrence and not upon a perceived need to muster a localized low-level response confined to Arctic boundaries of the sort that might develop in the future. The Russkies were more or less in the same situation and are now obviously reversing that anachronistic strategy.

rick sumner

Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
May 12, 2015 - 12:40pm PT
The connecting pipeline would be another major battle, Paul, though seemingly the best overall system of transport for the oil cos, the state and boroughs, and the financial health of the workforce. A lot of the environmental community would like nothing better than for TAPS to shutdown and the state cleared of the non-idigenous locals. I've heard also that seasonal tanker transport is under consideration. Where they would store eight months production and load the tankers is a real mystery
Tobia

Social climber
Denial
Topic Author's Reply - May 12, 2015 - 06:04pm PT
RR, I just read the Kulluk article, thanks for the link. The article explains Shell's determination to sink it's bits into the sea bed and gives reason why they shouldn't.

edit(May 20):
When I read the article it seemed familiar to me. I thought about it for awhile, and remembered this thread I put up in 2013 concerning the Kulluck.

The Kulluk, Shell’s Arctic drill rig, being towed to its moorage in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, in July 2012. Photo Credit James Mason

Kulluck aground on Sitkalidak Island Photo Credit J. Klingenberg/U.S. Coast Guard
Delhi Dog

climber
Good Question...
May 12, 2015 - 06:16pm PT
^^ yeah thanks for the link-very interesting and certainly a tad scary to think about them getting further into this.
Messages 1 - 20 of total 44 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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