Statoil 'gets cold feet' off Alaska

Nightmare zone: the Kulluk grounding

USCG

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By Steve Marshall and news reports

 08 March 2013 11:33 GMT

Statoil is reported to be further stalling on its plans to drill off Alaska in the wake of Shell’s abortive drilling effort and has ruled out output from the region in its North American production target.

Shell recently decided to suspend exploration this year in the region’s Beaufort and Chukchi seas after being hit by technicals issues on the two drilling units being used for the campaign – the barge Kulluk and drillship Noble Discoverer – that both now need repairs.

The move by the Anglo-Dutch supermajor now appears to have given Statoil cold feet over drilling in Arctic waters after earlier postponing plans to drill at a pair of Chukchi Sea prospects – Amundsen and Augustine – next year to 2015.

Statoil’s head of international exploration Tim Dodson…

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