The U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) reported that Shell-operated drillship Noble Discoverer left the Port of Everett, Washington on June 30, 2015 and is heading for Alaska.
Noble Discoverer is second Shell-hired oil drilling vessel to depart western Washington for the Arctic this summer.
To remind, Shell’s other drilling rig hired for Arctic drilling, Polar Pioneer, left from Seattle to its drilling location on June 16, 2015, despite protests organized by environmental activists in kayaks who tried to block its passage.
The drillship Noble Discoverer was escorted by two tugboats and two USCG vessels. In addition, the USCG enforced a safety zone around it that encompassed all waters within 500 yards of the vessel in all directions. According to USCG, violating the safety zone, which was established to ensure the safety of everyone on the water, can lead to a notice of violation that includes a $500 fine.
Shell plans to spend $1 billion dollars for its drilling campaign in Alaska this summer, hoping to uncover what are believed to be vast oil reserves under the seabed of the Chukchi Sea.
Offshore Energy Today Staff