Kulluk Drillship Still Aground off Alaska Coast
B. McPherson
The Shell Oil Arctic drillship Kulluk, remains aground on the shore of a small Alaskan island. The
conical drilling platform grounded on shore December 31 after being set adrift
by its tow ship which suffered engine failure at about the same time. Alaskan
storms are fierce this time of year and 50 foot
swells made towing the drillship too dangerous. All personnel remaining
on the vessel were removed safely.
The Kulluk was
being moved from Alaskan waters to Washington State for the winter season.
There are two contrasting stories about why the ship was being towed so late in
the season. One version states that it was being moved for repairs and
refurbishment, the other is that Shell Oil was seeking to avoid a $7 million
tax that would have come into effect if the vessel remained in state territory
after January 1st. In any event, the vessel remains in Alaskan
waters and costs for the salvage operation will mount quickly. Approximately
600 people are currently involved in the salvage work.
Local residents on Sitkalidak Island are hoping for an
outcome that leaves their beaches free of the Kulluk’s cargo. To help stabilize the conical shaped platform, 150
000 gallons of diesel fuel and oil had been pumped into its tanks. Earlier
reports stated that the water tight hatches had been breached.
While the official plan which hasn’t cleared Coast Guard
approval, is to tow the wreck to a safer location and reassess whether it can
continue south to Seattle. Others, experienced in salvage operations in the
area beg to disagree.
"I'd really be shocked if this thing is so lightly aground and so lightly damaged that they can just go pull this thing off right away," said Magone, president of Magone Marine, in a telephone interview from his headquarters in Dutch Harbor. CTV News
Shell Oil is also in trouble over their other Arctic
drillship, Noble Discoverer, which
is undergoing scrutiny for safety and pollution violations in Alaska waters.
According to a CBS report, when the Coast Guard sent criminal investigators to
the ship, crew had been provided with lawyers and refused to speak with the
investigators.
This situation underlines the dangers of transporting and
drilling for oil in Arctic waters. A relatively small spill like that of the Exxon Valdes over 20 years ago in
Alaskan waters continues to foul beaches.
Currently, many in British Columbia are protesting plans to
bring hundreds of oil tankers to the coast to transport oil to Asia. Combined
with the very active earthquake zones and very real threat of tsunamis, fouling
of the coastline will be inevitable if plans for expansion of pipelines are
allowed.
Storms + Earthquakes
+ Tsunamis + Oil Tankers = Ruined Coastline
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