Shell Oil Rig in Seattle

Went this morning to help a friend bring his boat through the Seattle Locks towards the Sound As we were waiting to enter the small lock, all three local police boats came rushing up and took precedence over us. We couldn't figure out where all three could be going and the Locktender didn't know. So, we got his boat to Shilshole fine and didn't think anymore about it. A few hour later, my wife, daughter and I were leaving for the weekend and as we pulled out of the north entrance to Shilshole, this bad boy was heading towards us. It is the Shell drilling rig, Polar Pioneer, headed to a dock right in downtown Seattle. Very controversial here. Foss Marine leased a terminal for "Marine Services" and then turned around and subleased to Shell to use as a staging terminal for its summer drilling season in the Chukchi Sea in Alaska. Turns out the police boats were for protester expected as the rig got down into Elliott Bay and into the terminal. There were a few kayakers out protesting.

Another case of much ado about nothing. The thing is just going to sit at the pier for awhile, pump $3 million into the city's coffers in moorage fees, and leave. It's not like it's going to drill for oil in Elliot Bay.

I had heard that the moorage was going to being held up for some time for want of another permit of some sort that the mayor cooked up at the last minute. I guess that got sorted out much more quickly than anyone expected. Money speaks louder than protesters every time it seems.

A number of years ago a similar rig spent a winter or summer or something at a pier in Everett. We saw it every time we flew north out of Lake Washington. Don't recall any protests that time. Apparently Everett has a more realistic view of things than Seattle.

A good friend of mine is second mate aboard that thar rig.

I thought that if Seattle refused Shell moorage in Seattle, then Alaska should prohibit fish landings of Seattle based catcher processors in Alaska because their fishing techniques harm salmon.

Tom

"because their fishing techniques harm salmon."

No doubt flash freezing harms their life signs.

That is Fantastic!!

My company provides telecom and networking services for that rig.

I won't be on it but other folks in my dept will.

Yippee!!!!

ksanders said:

That is Fantastic!!

My company provides telecom and networking services for that rig.

I won't be on it but other folks in my dept will.

Yippee!!!!

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Job security Kevin. All this work just keeps cutting into the catch and release time though.

Shell gives Seattle the finger!

The idiot Mayor need to get sacked

I love it..

Don't they know we need oil to fuel our boats??

How are we going to run over Gray Whales and chase Orca's??



HOLLYWOOD

Hollywood-I think it was Foss Marine that gave the City and the Ports the finger! The City can't find any way to challenge the Shell sublease of the terminal. Although the Mayor has threatened to fine them for not having the "correct" permit-a $500/day fine! I bet that has Shell quaking in their boots! According to the leader of the kayak flotilla (about 20 kayakers) that paddled out to "unwelcome" (in their words) Shell, their protest is the beginning of the end for drilling in the Arctic. A wee bit of overstatement methinks.

THD said:

Hollywood-I think it was Foss Marine that gave the City and the Ports the finger! The City can't find any way to challenge the Shell sublease of the terminal. Although the Mayor has threatened to fine them for not having the "correct" permit-a $500/day fine! I bet that has Shell quaking in their boots! According to the leader of the kayak flotilla (about 20 kayakers) that paddled out to "unwelcome" (in their words) Shell, their protest is the beginning of the end for drilling in the Arctic. A wee bit of overstatement methinks.

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The irony is that they all paddle out in kayak's made from petroleum products..

kind of like watching them drive up to a "protest" in a smoke belching volvo or vw bus...

HOLLYWOOD

sunchaser said:

Job security Kevin. All this work just keeps cutting into the catch and release time though.

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That one will keep some folks busy, and I'm sure they are glad for the work, but it won't be me. I'm on a long term contract to another oil company.

Good to hear. My son works for a oil service provider and is currenty on the North Slope. Good to see Shell is taking the lead here to provide our soon to be again great nation with the oil it needs!

Shell and all the expensive offshore rig planning/spending is being cut back as the fracking boom continues.

They will be back in the cold deep water , with the Russians , after were all fracked out.

FF said:

Shell and all the expensive offshore rig planning/spending is being cut back as the fracking boom continues.

They will be back in the cold deep water , with the Russians , after were all fracked out.

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Even fracking is being cutback, but I am enjoying the cheaper fuel prices! Now if we could just eliminate the oil speculators....

Polar Pioneer Drilling Rig Arrives in Seattle Amid Protests and Controversy - gCaptain Maritime & Offshore News

Funny how we love to see and defend foreign companies exploit our resources.

I think the mayor of Seattle was just pandering to the enviro nuts. I never did hear a reason why they said that oil rig couldn't come there except that they thought it might be in violation of the permit.

Hello. You "think" it might be in violation? You'd better get your environmental ducks in a row before you take on something like Shell Oil. $150 fine for the first ten days then goes to a whopping $500 per day. Hmmmmm, I wonder if that will bankrupt Shell Oil.

The reason for the protest was not what the rig was going to do here because it isn't going to do anything except sit. The reason for the protest is what the rig represents--- the evil exploitation of the planet by hideous corporate dragons who are bent on destroying life as we know it.

As to the legal reason given by the mayor, the permit that was given to Shell or Foss or whoever needed it was determined to be the "wrong" permit and a new "updated" permit was needed. The theory is that the application for the "new" permit would be denied.

Apparently it hasn't been, or more likely, the evil dragons at Shell told the mayor that if he wanted any money from them for his next campaign or to fix the potholes in Seattle's roads he should shut up and crawl back under his desk where he belongs

Working for a huge corporation has taught me that there is the stuff the public hears via the media or whatever, and there is what actually happens. The decisions about what actually happens are not influenced one iota by kayak protesters, the media, or politicians. These decisions are totally influenced by money. The politicians do what they are told to do by the folks who control the money, "or else...."

Which is fine with me. Protesters generally have no grasp whatsoever of reality and so are easy to ignore, which I do. Politicians are just clerks to sign the official papers when they're told to sign them, which is the only thing politicians are worth having around for.

So far as I'm concerned, Shell can park that rig in my backyard as long as they pay me for the privilege.

dhmeissner said:

Polar Pioneer Drilling Rig Arrives in Seattle Amid Protests and Controversy - gCaptain Maritime & Offshore News

Funny how we love to see and defend foreign companies exploit our resources.

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Couldn't help my but smile reading that comment.

Which re minds me has anyone seen the old black & white Ealing comedy of the 50's called 'The Mouse That Roared'.

Egads! Not another oil tanker in my neighborhood!



I suppose people in their plastic (oil-based) vessels protesting petroleum production need to rethink their opinions/life choices.

Andy G said:

[/B]
Which re minds me has anyone seen the old black & white Ealing comedy of the 50's called 'The Mouse That Roared'.

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With Peter Sellers. Yes.

This is just so stupid. What disturbs me is what no one seems to be talking about at all. Why do we accept the premise that bureaucrats and politicians have any say in what legal activity a business does in their city based on polititics? Friggin fascists. What if a conservative town tried to block google from opening a campus in their town saying that the company didn't reflect the values of it's 'people." Does this not smack of old USSR?

Andy G said:

[/B]

Couldn't help my but smile reading that comment.

Which re minds me has anyone seen the old black & white Ealing comedy of the 50's called 'The Mouse That Roared'.

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Yes, but I believe you'll find it was in color.

Shell's decision to recommence drilling in the Arctic may be due to the rapidly lowering cost of drilling.

This drop in oil price is causing a big shake up, and there are plenty of drilling rigs on the move. Some are shutting down, some are changing contracts. Major slowdown in the west.
Oil companies are bailing out of long term contracts at up to $600,000 day and negotiating another with a similar rig at half the price.

If it stays low you may see a lot of rigs heading to the middle east. Saudi currently has more rigs drilling than ever before in an effort to increase there #1 market share further.

Andy G said:

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Couldn't help my but smile reading that comment.

Which re minds me has anyone seen the old black & white Ealing comedy of the 50's called 'The Mouse That Roared'.

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I do see the irony in that.

I think it's possible to appreciate petroleum products and still express honest concerns over what an oil spill could do in the Arctic. Ask folks in Orange Beach, Alabama what the BP well rupture did to their economy.

I don't think protesting is unAmerican; quite the opposite.

For those who have no problem with industrial infrastructure being located absolutely anywhere--the public be damned--please post your contact info. My company would love to site a couple of these in your backyard.

angus99 said:

I think it's possible to appreciate petroleum products and still express honest concerns over what an oil spill could do in the Arctic. Ask folks in Orange Beach, Alabama what the BP well rupture did to their economy.

I don't think protesting is unAmerican; quite the opposite.

For those who have no problem with industrial infrastructure being located absolutely anywhere--the public be damned--please post your contact info. My company would love to site a couple of these in your backyard.

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Not too often new tranmission towers are installed in existing neighborhoods vs. New neighborhoods run under existing towers.. power has to come from somewhere!
Hollywood

Marin said:

Yes, but I believe you'll find it was in color.

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Of course.

I guess it's the opposite to 'looking through rose coloured glasses'.

angus99 said:

I think it's possible to appreciate petroleum products and still express honest concerns over what an oil spill could do in the Arctic.

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I cannot speak for what gooes on in the gulf, but I can comment on what goes on in the Arctic.

Folks would not believe the extradornary measures we go through to prevent spills. Rest assured we are being good stewards of our enviroment. We know whats at risk and we work hard as individuals and as a team to do no harm to our surroundings.

I won't say that concern is unwarranted, of course folks should be concerned. We are all concerned and our work practices are a direct result of that concern.

Want to hurt an oil company? pedal a bike, row, or walk.

Steve said:

Want to hurt an oil company? pedal a bike, row, or walk.

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On a bike with tires made from petroleum products, in a boat most likely made from petroleum products, in shoes that have at least some components made from petroleum products.