The Transocean Polar Pioneer semisubmersible officially began Shell’s US$1 billion Arctic drilling program in the Chukchi Sea on 30 July. The Polar Pioneer. From Transocean. Drilling operations began at Shell’s Burger J prospect…
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) inspected Shell’s drilling rigs for its US$1 billion Arctic drilling program, the Noble Discoverer, Polar Pioneer and the Fennica icebreaker vessel in Alaska. Pre…
The US Coast Guard (USCG) reported that the Noble Discoverer drillship has left the Port of Everett, Washington, in the early morning hours of 30 June, and is now Arctic-bound. Thus bringing Shell closer to its Chukchi Sea drilling season…
API encouraged congress and regulators to prioritize Arctic offshore oil and natural gas development as the House Natural Resources Committee prepared to hold a hearing on Arctic energy today (16 June). “Arctic oil and natural gas…
Thirteen activists in kayaks intercepted Shell's drilling rig, the Polar Pioneer, in Seattle's Puget Sound as the rig prepared to depart for the Arctic as part of Shell's US$1 billion Arctic exploration and drilling program. Kayaktivists…
Shell is on the brink of Arctic exploration after the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s (BSEE) approval of the US supermajor’s oil spill response plan (OSRP) on 11 June. The Noble Discoverer…
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) granted conditional approval of Shell’s multi-year exploration plan for the Chukchi Sea today (11 May). The approval comes after what the agency described as a “comprehensive review.” Last month…
Shell released this video outlining its safety efforts for Arctic exploration. The company received conditional approval for its exploration plan in the Chukchi Sea on 11 May 2015. Shell is planning to spend US$1 billion to explore the Arctic…
The US Department of the Interior (DOI) is reviewing Shell's Arctic drilling plans, according to a recent Reuters report. On 31 March, DOI issued a record of decision affirming Shell’s Arctic leases from the Chukchi Sea OCS oil and gas lease sale 193 from 2008…
Statoil confirmed its second discovery in the Aasta Hansteen area with the Roald Rygg prospect in the Norwegian Sea. Map of Roald Rygg. From Statoil. The gas discovery was made at…
Statoil started the first stage of the Polarled installation project with the Solitaire pipelaying vessel connecting the pipeline in the Norwegian Sea to Nyhamma. Solitaire. From Allseas. The…
The US' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is planning increased 2015 Arctic nautical charting operations, updating charts based on surveys conducted a hundred years ago. The so-called Arctic marine corridor project will…
Norway's Statoil and its partners on production license 218 in the Norwegian Sea have made a gas discovery close to the Aasta Hansteen development. The Snefrid Nord discovery, estimated to contain 31-57 MMboe, will increase the Aasta…
According to the United States Geological Survey, the area above the Arctic Circle holds approximately 90 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and an estimated 1,670 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of technically recoverable natural gas…
Golder Associates’ Ken Been explains the best approach to geotechnical engineering and pipeline construction when facing scours and pits in the Arctic ice. Fig. 1: Ice scouring. Over the coming decades…
