Houston-based Hilcorp filed its plan with the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to build a self-contained island for drilling operations in the Beaufort Sea, offshore Alaska. Conceptual 3D rendering of the proposed Liberty Island…
Statoil is saying goodbye to Alaska exploration and has decided to exit its leases in the Chukchi Sea following recent results in nearby leases, in addition to finding the leases no longer competitive. Map of Alaskan leases Statoil is exiting…
Shell is ceasing further exploration offshore Alaska after the company's Burger J prospect failed to prove oil, resulting in a multi billion dollar write-down. The Transocean Polar Pioneer “Shell…
Shell disconnected the Noble Discoverer drillship from its anchors in the Chukchi Sea after weather temporarily put a halt to its Arctic operations over the weekend. The Noble Discoverer. From Shell Flickr…
The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has given Shell final approval to drill into deeper into hydrocarbon-bearing zones at its Burger J prospect in the Chukchi Sea, off Alaska, in the US Arctic. “After extensive review and under a robust array of safety requirements…
Shell’s arrival in the Chukchi Sea came with limitations from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) that allows the supermajor to begin drilling, but not into oil-bearing zones just yet. The Noble Discoverer…
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 Fennica icebreaker vessel that Shell planned to use as part of its Chukchi Sea drilling operations had to return to Dutch Harbor in Alaska to undergo repairs after its hull was breeched, Finland-based Arctia Offshore reported today (7 July)…
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…
A total of 12 groups are challenging the US Department of Interior’s (DOI) decision to reaffirm the 2008 Chukchi Sea lease sale that will allow oil and gas drilling in a nearly 30 million acre area of the Chukchi Sea outer continental shelf (OCS)…
With a mean estimate of 23.6 billion bbl of undiscovered, technically recoverable conventional oil in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, the Arctic could be one of the last big finds. Heather Saucier examines what is at stake on the US side. Source…
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 Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released proposed regulations for exploratory drilling activities on the US Arctic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) concerning exploratory…
Shell has its sights set for Arctic exploration this year by spending US$1 billion, after being absent since 2012. Ben Van Beurden. From Shell. The supermajor announced in its 4Q 2014…