Arctic Ocean

On Sunday, the Vice President of Shell Oil in Alaska told Governor Sean Parnell (R-Alaska) and Senator Lisa Murkowski(R-Alaska) that heavy sea ice in the Bering Straight will delay historic drilling operations -- scheduled for this summer.    Those operations will encompass the first exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean -- off of Alaska's Coast -- in 20 years. (In 2003, there was some exploratory drilling on what are called "Gravel Islands" off of Alaska's Coast, but those operations are not comparable in scale to this one.    That word came as Parnell and Murkowski toured two massive drilling rings, The Kulluk and "Noble Discoverer".    They will spend the short summer drilling season searching for what are believed to be massive oil deposits in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.    In fact, if estimates by theU.S.

Shell Oil is, today (Sunday), close to drilling 2 exploratory wells simultaneously in the Arctic Ocean. Drilling operations in the Beaufort Sea are currently awaiting the harvest of the third and last whale of the season by Inupiat Eskimoes. Once the final whale is caught, the drilling rig "Kulluck" can go to work. "Kulluck's" sister vessel, the "Noble Discoverer" has been drilling -- on and off -- since September 8th in the Chukchi Sea. The vessel's operations were briefly distrupted by Arctic storms and drifting sea ice. The company is trying to tap the 25 to 27 billion barrels of oil believed to exist in Alaska's Arctic waters.

A U.S. Coast Guard crew from Kodiak flew their HC-130 Hercules 850 miles north of Barrow yesterday, to check on the crew of a Russian research ice camp and the Russian icebreaker Rossiya. The Rossiya and the ice camp are located 400 miles from the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean. The Coast Guard says the trip was to check on the status of the camp and crew and to make sure they were not in distress because of the ice breaking up. "There ice was definitely more solid this year than last year," Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally said of the flyover.

The hope is that it did not scrape bottom. Initial signs are encouraging. The rig's crew says it felt no vibration when the vessel drifted to within 175 yards of shore. They also saw no evidence that its 100-foot-tall derrick had swayed. At this hour, it's still not clear what the incident will do to Shell's plans for exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean this summer. As of 9 P.M. Saturday, the Coast Guard said winds in Unalaska were still blowing at 35-miles-an-hour and seas were at 4 feet.

In June, the Arctic Ocean beyond Barrow, Alaska is 34 degrees and studded with floating pieces of ice. Still, Michael Davis and Dawn Schissler are willing -- eager, even -- to pay $10 for the privilege of jumping into it. They aren’t alone. Every year between June and October, 350 or so, tourists pay Pepe’s North of the Border Mexican restaurant to become members of the “Polar Bear Swim Club,” receiving a certificate and patch featuring an actual polar bear. Then, on a rocky beach beach near Pepe’s that’s covered in ice for nearly all of the year, they strip down to their swimming gear.

by Rachel D'Oro The Associated Press Tuesday, April 13, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says government scientists have until Oct. 1 to determine what research gaps remain in determining the effects of offshore oil and gas development in the Arctic Ocean. Salazar said Tuesday the U.S. Geological Survey will examine research already done on the Beaufort and Chukchi seas and what still needs to be studied to better determine the environmental effects of drilling and challenges from the climate change that has hammered Alaska's coastal waters.

by The Associated Press Wednesday, July 21, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Coast Guard says NASA has concluded a summer research mission in Alaska, working from an ice breaker. The agency spent weeks on board the Coast Guard Cutter Healy, the nation's largest ice breaker. Scientists collected ice and water samples, with a goal of taking a close look at how conditions in the Arctic are affecting ocean chemistry and ecosystems that play a critical role in global climate change.

by Mike Ross Wednesday, May 26, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Associated Press reports that the Obama administration is suspending drilling in the Arctic Ocean until next year, which interferes with Shell Oil's plans to begin exploratory drilling in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas this summer. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says in a report to be delivered to the White House Tuesday that he will not consider applications for permits to drill in the Arctic until 2011.

It's the presence of Alaska that allows the United States to be considered an arctic nation. On Friday, the Obama administration released a new Arctic strategy that states the country's priorities in the arctic region.   "I think this is the time Alaska is being recognized as an important part to the United States as the United States cannot be an Arctic nation without Alaska," Senator Mark Begich said. "This plan is an important tool that we will now use to push for Arctic development.

The Arctic Imperative Summit is back in Alaska for the second year and people from around the state are working to show world investors and businesses why Alaska is a great place to be. For years the Arctic was untouchable tundra but times are changing and the name fits more than ever… The Last Frontier. Lieutenant Governor Mead Treadwell says, “The Arctic is newly accessible. Now in this generation, in our time in human history this is becoming commonplace...We ship goods up through the Arctic Ocean to support our communities but there's ways we're going to be shipping more goods out of Alaska through the Arctic.

It's the presence of Alaska that allows the United States to be considered an arctic nation. On Friday, the Obama administration released a new Arctic strategy that states the country's priorities in the arctic region.   "I think this is the time Alaska is being recognized as an important part to the United States as the United States cannot be an Arctic nation without Alaska," Senator Mark Begich said. "This plan is an important tool that we will now use to push for Arctic development.

Responding to a series of high-profile incidents involving its assets for Arctic Ocean offshore drilling, Royal Dutch Shell PLC announced a “pause” in its 2013 drilling program in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas Wednesday. The decision comes the day after the conical drilling unit Kulluk, which suffered hull damage in a New Year's Eve grounding off Sitkalidak Island near Kodiak, was taken under tow by three tugs for a 10-day trip to Dutch Harbor. After being transferred to a drydock, the Kulluk will then head to Asia for repairs.

Shell Oil is, today (Sunday), close to drilling 2 exploratory wells simultaneously in the Arctic Ocean. Drilling operations in the Beaufort Sea are currently awaiting the harvest of the third and last whale of the season by Inupiat Eskimoes. Once the final whale is caught, the drilling rig "Kulluck" can go to work. "Kulluck's" sister vessel, the "Noble Discoverer" has been drilling -- on and off -- since September 8th in the Chukchi Sea. The vessel's operations were briefly distrupted by Arctic storms and drifting sea ice. The company is trying to tap the 25 to 27 billion barrels of oil believed to exist in Alaska's Arctic waters.

Alaska's natural resources continues to stir energy discussions with 2 big developments: Natural Gas and Arctic Drilling.    First, a topic that suddenly seems to be getting more attention than usual: Proposals for that long-awaited Natural Gas Pipeline from the North Slope. Former Governor Frank Murkowski told a luncheon Monday in downtown Anchorage that he backs a proposal for a large-diameter "All-Alaska" pipeline project -- leading to an LNG Terminal either in Valdez or Cook Inlet.

The Arctic Imperative Summit is back in Alaska for the second year and people from around the state are working to show world investors and businesses why Alaska is a great place to be. For years the Arctic was untouchable tundra but times are changing and the name fits more than ever… The Last Frontier. Lieutenant Governor Mead Treadwell says, “The Arctic is newly accessible. Now in this generation, in our time in human history this is becoming commonplace...We ship goods up through the Arctic Ocean to support our communities but there's ways we're going to be shipping more goods out of Alaska through the Arctic.

All week long, 600 people concerned about Arctic issues are meeting at the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage during the Week of the Arctic, an annual conference convened by the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Institute of the North. Among them is the top State Department official for the Arctic, Julie Gourley -- a woman sometimes described as “the Hillary Clinton of the Arctic.” Gourley isn't just here to teach, but also to learn. Among the people she heard from Tuesday is Jacob Adams, senior administrator for the North Slope Borough.

Just say “no” to Shell Oil: that was the message protesters wanted to send to the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday afternoon. About two dozen opponents of Arctic drilling rallied outside the EPA's headquarters in downtown Anchorage. They called on the agency to reject Shell's request for a waiver in meeting its emission requirements, when it begins drilling in the Arctic Ocean. If Shell is able to carry out its plans as scheduled, drilling is just a few weeks away.

The hope is that it did not scrape bottom. Initial signs are encouraging. The rig's crew says it felt no vibration when the vessel drifted to within 175 yards of shore. They also saw no evidence that its 100-foot-tall derrick had swayed. At this hour, it's still not clear what the incident will do to Shell's plans for exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean this summer. As of 9 P.M. Saturday, the Coast Guard said winds in Unalaska were still blowing at 35-miles-an-hour and seas were at 4 feet.

On Sunday, the Vice President of Shell Oil in Alaska told Governor Sean Parnell (R-Alaska) and Senator Lisa Murkowski(R-Alaska) that heavy sea ice in the Bering Straight will delay historic drilling operations -- scheduled for this summer.    Those operations will encompass the first exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean -- off of Alaska's Coast -- in 20 years. (In 2003, there was some exploratory drilling on what are called "Gravel Islands" off of Alaska's Coast, but those operations are not comparable in scale to this one.    That word came as Parnell and Murkowski toured two massive drilling rings, The Kulluk and "Noble Discoverer".    They will spend the short summer drilling season searching for what are believed to be massive oil deposits in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.    In fact, if estimates by theU.S.

On Monday, the 11 Alaska State Lawmakers who travelled to Washington, D.C over the weekend returned to Juneau with a sobering message about protecting America's oil and gas drilling rights in the Arctic Ocean. They said that China -- a nation of 1.3 billion people -- was eyeing the Arctic, and that there was a good chance that the Chinese were hoping to get their hands on some of its wealth. Similar concerns had been expressed by United State Senator Mark Begich (D) Alaska when he spoke to a joint-session of the Alaska State Legislature on March 5th. At that time, Begich warned that China -- even though it is not an Arctic Nation -- has been arguing that it is entitled to a large share of the Arctic's Resources.