Americas News
Lifeboats Could Have Leaked Fuel in Alaska
Lifeboats from Royal Dutch Shell's Kulluk drilling vessel, which ran aground in Kiliuda Bay, Alaska on December 31, 2012, may have leaked around 316 gallons of ultra low sulfur fuel, according to the Unified Command group organising the response to the incident.
In a statement issued yesterday, the responders, led by the U.S. Coast Guard and Shell Alaska, said assessment of four dislodged survival boats and one dislodged rescue boat at the scene suggests the potential for a leak of that size, but there has been no confirmation yet of any release of fuel.
A previous statement Wednesday had said that the dislodged boats, which may have come loose from the Kulluck when it hit ground on Sitkalidak Island or while it was towed from the scene, might have leaded as much as 272 gallons.
If fluids have been released on the shoreline, Unified Command said it will be prepared to mitigate.
The Coast Guard announced Tuesday that it was launching a formal investigation of the incident.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also issued a statement Thursday saying the Kulluk had violated its Clean Air Act permits during the 2012 drilling season, according to local newspaper the Alaska Dispatch.
In a statement reacting to the accident, Shell said it is working to respond to the situation and protect the environment.
The company also said it was not immediately clear whether the incident would affect its plans to develop Arctic oil.
"At this stage, it's too early to gauge any impact on our ongoing exploration plans," said Shell Oil President Marvin Odum, "But with the Kulluk now safely recovered, we'll carry out a detailed assessment of the vessel to understand what those impacts might be.
"In the meantime, we will participate in the US Coast Guard's investigation into the causes of this incident and will implement lessons learned."
