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Alaska Clam Diggers Killed in Maritime Accident
by Matthew D. Shaffer on May 18, 2011
Three men are dead and two are still missing after they vanished during a clam digging trip southwest of Kalgin Island in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The Coast Guard began searching after it got a call Tuesday afternoon from Pacific Alaska Shellfish. The commercial clamming employer told the Coast Guard that five of its maritime employees on board a c...
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Shell Drilling Ship Drifts A Little Too Close To Alaska Shore
by Matthew D. Shaffer on July 23, 2012
A Shell Oil drilling ship lost its mooring in Alaska’s Dutch Harbor last week, drifting dangerously close to shore. Despite witness claims, inspections by divers show no evidence that the ship ran aground. The 571-foot Noble Discoverer is part of the Shell fleet getting ready for exploratory drilling in the Arctic waters of the Chukchi and Bea...
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76 Rescued After Sightseeing Vessel Runs Aground In Alaska
by Dennis M. McElwee on August 23, 2012
A sightseeing vessel ran aground in Alaska’s Glacier Bay, filling the vessel with water. Seventy-six people were rescued, but none were seriously injured, U.S. Coast Guard officials said. The boat was stabilized after the accident, and there were no signs of spills or other pollution. Most of the passengers were transferred to a Holland America...
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Moving Ice Delaying Alaska Offshore Drilling
by Matthew D. Shaffer on September 13, 2012
Although preliminary work began Sunday on an exploratory drill 70 miles off the coast of Alaska, a giant block of floating ice was delaying any further work from continuing. A Royal Dutch Shell petroleum drill ship had begun the first drilling in U.S. Chukchi waters since 1991 but was forced to stop after only hours and move away to wait for an...
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Royal Dutch Shell Delays Alaska Drilling Until Next Year
by Dennis M. McElwee on September 17, 2012
Royal Dutch Shell announced today after a series of delays and setbacks that it was holding off until next year in its efforts to drill into oil and gas deposits in the Arctic offshore. In the latest delay, the company’s high-tech dome, which is designed to contain oil should an underwater spill happen, was damaged during a test. Shell said it ...
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Oil Rig That Ran Aground Reaches Safe Harbor In Alaska
by Matthew D. Shaffer on January 08, 2013
A Shell oil rig that ran aground on an Alaskan island last week during stormy weather finally reached safe harbor Monday. The rig, which was pulled from a towing ship last week and grounded on the shore of Sitkalidak Island, will be checked out to determine its seaworthiness. No signs of breaches were found on the Kulluk’s fuel tanks. The drill...
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Shell Arctic Drilling Rig Cited For EPA Violations
by Dennis M. McElwee on January 11, 2013
A Shell oil rig that ran aground last week has been cited by the U.S. EPA for violating nine conditions of its air-quality permit while drilling in the waters off Alaska, according to a letter issued by the agency Thursday. The findings are the latest in a string of setbacks for the company’s much-debated $5 billion Arctic drilling plans. The K...
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Alaska's Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Efforts Have Only Just Begun
by Dennis M. McElwee on April 03, 2013
Alaska oil and gas reserves play a huge part in the federal administration's push to make the United States energy-efficient over the next few years. Exploration activities have already begun in the state, but according to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, these efforts have only just scratched the surface of the state’s vast reserves....
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Coast Guard Investigations into Shell Offshore Rig Finds Serious Violations
by Dennis M. McElwee on April 10, 2013
The United States Coast Guard has completed investigations of violations on board a Royal Dutch Shell drill ship off the coast of Alaska, and has handed over its findings to the Department Of Justice. The investigation has found numerous safety violations on the Noble Discoverer. The inspections came to light only after the drilling season, whe...
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