Shell-operated rigs to leave Alaska for repairs

Alaska: the drillship Kulluk (above) ran aground near Kodiak Island after breaking free of two ropes on New Year's Eve

Shell

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Kathrine Schmidt

 12 February 2013 07:24 GMT

Both rigs used by Shell in its 2012 Arctic drilling campaign will be ferried to Asia repairs after damage was more extensive than first forseen, the company told Upstream on Monday.

The Anglo-Dutch supermajor said its Kulluk drilling barge will first head to Dutch Harbor, Alaska and then be dry-towed to an Asia shipyard to repair damage sustained after the rig slipped its tow lines and ran aground off an Alaskan island last month.

In addition, Noble Discoverer drillship, the second unit used by the supermajor in the region, will also be dry-towed to a Korean yard from its current position in Washington state after the scope of problems with its propulsion systems expanded, Shell said.

But the supermajor would not speculate on the…

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