Grounding of Kulluk Drilling Rig
Coast Guard Begins Hearing for Kulluk Marine Casualty Investigation
A Coast Guard hearing began Monday to investigate the contributing factors that led to the New Year's eve grounding of the Shell Oil drilling rig Kulluk near Sitkalidak Island. more...
Coast Guard Sets Hearing for Kulluk Grounding
The Coast Guard’s investigation into the New Year’s Eve grounding of the Kulluk, a Shell drilling rig, remains ongoing as authorities prepare hearings in Anchorage next week. more...
Kulluk's Hull Assessed, Steps Taken to Protect Tanner Crab Fishery
Divers and remotely operated underwater vehicles have completed a review of the hull of a Royal Dutch Shell PLC drill barge that ran aground two weeks ago on a remote Alaska island, as the Unified Command overseeing the incident response announced steps to mitigate its impact on the local tanner crab fishery. more...
Kulluk Anchor and Hull Inspected in ROV Surveys
Unified Command confirmed Thursday, January 10, that two remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) surveys were completed of the Kulluk drilling vessel in Kiliuda Bay. more...
Coast Guard, Interior Plan Probes of Shell Offshore Drilling Rigs
The Coast Guard has ordered a marine casualty investigation of the Shell Oil-contracted drilling rig Kulluk’s Dec. 31 grounding on Sitkalidak Island, a day after it was safely towed to an anchorage about 30 miles away. more...
Kulluk Towed to Safe Harbor off Kodiak Island After Being Refloated
The drilling rig Kulluk reached an anchorage off Kodiak Island Monday morning, nearly a week after it ran aground 30 miles away during a winter storm and was taken under tow Sunday, as Shell Oil President Marvin Odum apologized for the incident. In a statement released Monday afternoon confirming the Kulluk’s arrival at Kiliuda Bay, Odum expressed both regret for the Shell-contracted conical drilling unit’s grounding and relief at the outcome of a towing operation which began late Sunday. “We undertake significant planning and preparation in an effort to ensure these types of incidents do not occur. We’re very sorry it did,” Odum said. “Since the grounding, Shell has worked with all parties in the Unified Command structure to ensure a safe outcome and to protect the maritime environment in the vicinity of the grounded vessel. Thanks to the professionalism, dedication, and skill of all those involved in the recovery effort, I’m pleased to say those objectives have been met with no significant injuries and no environmental impact.” At a Monday press conference the Unified Command, which has been overseeing the response to the grounding, had said that as of 10 a.m. Monday it was in tow at speeds of roughly 2 to 4 knots, about 1.5 miles from its planned anchorage in Kiliuda Bay. Shell Alaska operations manager Sean Churchfield says the refloating of the Kulluk off Sitkalidak Island occurred at about 4 p.m. Sunday, with provisions and a generator delivered to its crew. The vessels Aiviq and Alert were towing the Kulluk, accompanied by what Churchfield described as “a small fleet” of response vessels, including four other tugs. Monday’s developments were the latest in a story that began Dec. 28, when the Kulluk -- one of the rigs used by Shell during last year's exploratory drilling in the Beaufort Sea -- was being towed to Seattle and the vessel Aiviq lost its towlone suffered several engine failures. The Kulluk’s crew was evacuated and towlines were intermittently re-established over the next two days, but the rig ultimately ran aground at about 9:30 p.m. New Year’s Eve. Coast Guard Capt. Paul Mehler III, the Unified Command’s federal on-scene coordinator, was guardedly optimistic in his assessment of the tow, saying that while no high-fiving occurred when the Kulluk was refloated, there was “certainly a sense of relief.” He says safety remains the highest priority in moving the rig, with crews working to “do it right, do it smart, do it safe.” According to the state’s on-scene coordinator, Steven Russel with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Kulluk’s crew didn’t detect any signs of pollution during the refloating operation. The response vessel Nanuq conducted infrared surveys at the site of the grounding as well as during the tow, but hasn’t found any pollution from the rig. Russel says the grounding and tow operation aren’t expected to have any impact on cod, sport or commercial fisheries in the area. An effort to assess the scene of the grounding is already under way, and a shoreline assessment of any lifeboats or debris washed ashore from the Kulluk in Ocean Bay was scheduled to begin Monday. The Kulluk will be assessed for damage in Kiliuda Bay, with Churchfield telling reporters the duration of its stay there will be “extremely dependent on the outcome of the assessment.” Shell plans to use divers, remotely operated vehicles or both to conduct an inspection of the rig’s hull. According to Russel, the state will require Shell to “maintain an adequate level of response capability” to prevent any pollution from occurring during the Kulluk’s stay in Kiliuda Bay. more...
Shell Oil-Drilling Ship Kulluk Under Tow
A Shell oil-drilling ship that ran aground near a remote Alaska island is under tow again. more...
Salvage Team Attaches Tow Line from Aiviq to Kulluk
Once again, the Shell drill rig Kulluk has a tow line after a salvage team successfully attached it Sunday afternoon, according to the Unified Command. The vessel has spent nearly six days near Sitkalidak Island after running aground on New Year’s Eve. The Unified Command said a tow line was attached from the Aiviq, a vessel used for towing, to the Kulluk around 4 p.m. Sunday and that the Kulluk is ready for transit. The move could happen Monday, however crews could start the transit overnight if weather conditions become favorable. The team monitoring the incident said a tow plan was approved Saturday to move the Kulluk from Sitkalidak Island to Kiliuda Bay – roughly 30 miles north. A 10-member salvage crew and one Shell representative were reported to be on board the Kulluk and will remain on it during the tow. The tug Alert, from the Prince William Sound, will also assist in the move after connecting to the Kulluk. Three tugs from Seattle with towing capabilities will also support the transit. The vessels are named the Ocean Wave, Corbin Foss, and Lauren Foss. The Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley will escort and a 500-yard radius safety zone will follow the tow until the Kulluk is anchored. “The exact timing of a potential towing activity will depend on weather, tides and operational readiness,” Shell incident commander Sean Churchfield said during a Saturday news briefing. This is a developing story. Please check KTUU.com and the Channel 2 newscasts for updates. Contact Neil Torquiano more...
Kulluk Tow Plan Approved from Sitkalidak to Kiliuda Bay
The Shell drilling rig Kulluk has spent nearly five days aground near Sitkalidak Island and the Unified Command monitoring the situation announced Saturday that a tow plan was approved to move the rig 30 miles to Kiliuda Bay. Weather and sea conditions continue to be a speed bump in the recovery mission. The vessel was reported to be upright, fuel tanks intact, and that naval architects said it “is sound and fit to tow,” according to the Unified Command. The UC said that salvage teams were abroad the vessel and preparing it to tow, and that it would not remove the fuel abroad the Kulluk due to the environmental risk. Shell incident commander Sean Churchfield said that at this stage crews would have to run a pipe out to the sea and that it would pose a risk of leakage to remove the fuel. Officials also announced that a boom would be launched as a precautionary measure and that special attention was being paid to salmon streams connecting to Ocean Bay. Churchfield said that a tow timeline was difficult to pin down and was dependent on weather and tides, as crews prepare to move the Kulluk. Contact Neil Torquiano more...
Shell Kulluk Runs Aground
The Shell drilling unit Kulluk ran aground New Year's Eve near Kodiak following failed attempts to tow the vessel in a fierce storm, according to a Unified Command monitoring the situation. more...
Alaska Winter Will Challenge Shell Kulluk Salvage
Responders are preparing to hook a main tow line to an oil-drilling ship grounded on rocks near a remote Alaska island. Officials overseeing the response to the grounding of Royal Dutch Shell's Kulluk barge said they could use the line to "test capabilities" as they prepare to recover the ship. But the plans Saturday are subject to tides and weather. They can be fierce in the North Pacific during winter. Officials also hope to deploy oil-soaking booms around nearby Kodiak Island, especially near any salmon streams. They say there's no sign the hull has been breached or that oil has spilled from the vessel. It ran aground during a year-end storm. more...
5 Helicopter Missions Flown Friday to Grounded Kulluk
Salvage crews are continuing to determine the extent of damage Friday to the Shell Oil-contracted drilling rig Kulluk, which remains off an island near Kodiak after it ran aground Monday evening. more...
Kulluk Has Suffered Damage Since Grounding, Hasn't Leaked Oil
The Shell Oil-contracted rig Kulluk hasn’t yet leaked any oil, but containment booms were delivered to a nearby village Thursday as Shell said the conical drilling unit has sustained damage since it ran aground Monday night near Kodiak. more...
Environmentalists, U.S. House Members Question Kulluk Grounding
The grounding of the Kulluk has prompted a national environmental group to question Shell Alaska’s preparedness for Arctic drilling operations. The news comes on the same day that a U.S. House coalition says it's calling on the Interior Department and the Coast Guard to jointly investigate the Kulluk and other incidents. more...
Kodiak Residents React to Grounding of Kulluk Drilling Rig
Rough weather on Sitkalidak Island, where the Shell Oil-contracted drilling rig Kulluk ran aground Monday night during an intense winter storm, hasn’t kept the U.S. Coast Guard from surveying the rig for damage Wednesday. more...
Shell Drilling Unit Kulluk Aground, 'Stable' near Kodiak
The Shell mobile drilling unit Kulluk is stable after running aground New Year's Eve near Kodiak following failed attempts to tow the vessel in a fierce storm, responders said during a Tuesday press conference. more...
Tow Lines Separated from Shell Kulluk, Tug from Prince William Sound Arrives
The tow lines have separated from two vessels to the Kulluk, a Shell drill unit, as crews battle a storm and a tug boat from Prince William Sound arrived Sunday afternoon, according to the Unified Command responding to scene. The Aiviq and the Nanuq held the Kulluk with tow lines Saturday and Sunday morning about roughly 20 miles south of Kodiak. “Safety of our responders remains our top priority, and we are evaluating options for safely re-establishing a tow with the Kulluk,” said Capt. Paul Mehler III, Federal On-Scene Commander, U.S. Coast Guard. The State Department of Environmental Conservation has been called on scene to figure out where to safely tow the Kulluk. On Saturday, the Coast Guard rescued 18 crew members from the Kulluk with several helicopter trips. The Kulluk has no propulsion system and has no one on board after the evacuation. The Coast Guard also delivered engine parts to the Aiviq to restore power to the vessel that experienced engine failures and the exact cause of the failure will be determined with a follow-on investigation. Shell said there were two minor injuries on the Aiviq, but the people are reportedly back to work. Contact Neil Torquiano more...
Kodiak: Unified Command Plans to Tow Shell Kulluk to Port Hobron
Crews have reestablished tow lines for an unmanned Shell drill unit and said Monday afternoon that it will tow it to Port Hobron on the southeast side of Kodiak Island when weather conditions improve. The Alert, a tug boat from Prince William Sound, secured a tow line around early Monday morning and hours later the Aiviq, a vessel being used for towing, also restored a tow line to the Kulluk. Crews have remained roughly 20 miles south of Kodiak for the past few days. On Sunday, tow lines from the Aiviq and the Nanuq to the Kulluk were lost due to weather conditions. On Saturday, the Coast Guard evacuated the Kulluk of its 18 crew members due to weather safety concerns. On Friday, a Unified Command was set-up with over 200 members, which include the Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and other federal, state, local, and tribal partners working with the Royal Dutch Shell and Edison Chouest Offshore. “The communication between the different stakeholders involved in this response has been exceptional,” said Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, commander, Coast Guard 17th District. “The ability to quickly adapt and safely coordinate efforts to maintain control of the Kulluk despite the harsh weather remain the key factors in a successful outcome.” Contact Neil Torquiano Editor's Note: Headline changed to reflect that Coast Guard ships are not being used to tow the Kulluk. more...
Coast Guard Evacuates Shell Kulluk, 18 Crew Members Safe
Update: 18 crew members on the Kulluk, a Shell drill unit, were reported to be safe after the Coast Guard evacuated the vessel Saturday afternoon, according to the Unified Command responding to the scene south of Kodiak. All four of the Aiviq’s main engines were also reported to be functioning after the Coast Guard delivered engine parts Saturday morning. The Unified Command said in a statement that it will “accelerate the speed of the southbound tow to create even more margin between the vessels and land.” Original (Dec. 29, 4:26 p.m.): A fierce storm continues to test the Coast Guard assisting the Kulluk, a Shell drill unit, along with three support vessels, about 50 miles south of Kodiak. The Coast Guard said Saturday afternoon that it delivered engine parts to the crew on the Aiviq, an icebreaker vessel, being used to tug the Kulluk, and that the vessels were no longer drifting to shoal waters. Shell said that two of the four engines on the Aiviq were restored after losing power in heavy seas and strong winds. Royal Dutch Shell also launched two other vessels, the Guardsman and the Nanuq, to assist. The Guardsman established a tow with the Aiviq and Kulluk Friday afternoon, however strong winds and seas broke the tow early Saturday morning. The Coast Guard sent the Alex Haley, a cutter vessel, to the scene early Friday and it established a tandem tow of Aivig and Kulluk. The towline parted Saturday morning due to heavy seas, strong winds, and the mass of Shell’s vessels. "The multiple towline failures only highlight the extremely challenging situation created by the winds, seas, and sheer bulk of the Kulluk,” Rear Admiral Thomas Ostebo, Commander 17th District in Juneau, Alaska, said. “I applaud the efforts of all the vessels on scene and their courage in the face of almost impossible odds.” The Nanuq and the Aiviq established a towline and have kept the Kulluk from drifting. On Friday evening, Shell requested to remove the crew from the Kulluk due to weather concerns, however the Coast Guard said heavy seas continue to make “operations extremely dangerous.” The Coast Guard said the Aiviq is the only vessel on scene able to tow the Kulluk and that engine failures to the Aiviq were “attributed to some poor quality fuel that had been isolated.” The Alert, a tug from Prince William Sound, also has the ability to tug the Kulluk and it will arrive mid-day Sunday, according to the Coast Guard. A unified command compromised of the Coast Guard, Royal Dutch Shell, the Feds, State and local officials are monitoring the situation in Kodiak. The Coast Guard reported dealing with conditions of 20-30 foot seas and 30-40 knot winds during its efforts. “Without their efforts the overall situation would be much worse than it is now," Rear Admiral Ostebo said. Contact Neil Torquiano more...
Breaking News: Shell Rig Runs Aground
UPDATE: The Unified Command handling the Kulluk situation released this statement Monday night. Check KTUU.com and the Channel 2 Morning Edition for the latest on this developing story. more...
Shell Drill Ship, Crew Moving Again in Gulf of Alaska
A Shell drill ship in the Gulf of Alaska is no longer drifting toward the Trinity Islands. Company officials hope it will be moving again toward safe harbor later Saturday afternoon. Company spokesman Curtis Smith says repair crews have restarted two of the four engines on a tow vessel and the Kulluk, which has no propulsion system, is holding steady so a second tow line can be attached. Smith says the second line will will help stabilize the situation. High winds and waves in the area have prevented evacuation of the Kulluk's crew. Smith says Shell is working closely with the Coast Guard to assess whether they should attempt to evacuate the crew again. The ultimate goal is to move the Kulluk about 20 miles to the north to a safe inlet of Kodiak Island. more...
Tug Towing Shell Drilling Unit Suffers Engine Failures Near Kodiak
The U.S. Coast Guard is responding Friday to engine failures aboard a tugboat towing one of the drilling units used by Shell Oil in the Beaufort Sea this year, a day after news broke that a drillship from the project had been cited by the Coast Guard in Seward. more...
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