energy

Shell's Arctic "Beer Can" Passes Federal Test In Puget Sound

John Ryan — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:16:01 +0000

Shell Oil Co. had to postpone its Arctic drilling until 2014 after one of its oil rigs ran aground off the Alaska coast this winter, but Shell’s efforts to open a new frontier of oil exploration in the Arctic Ocean continue in Puget Sound.

The oil giant passed a key test with federal regulators in March in the waters off Anacortes, Wash., north of Seattle.

Safety Problems Old And New At Anacortes Oil Refineries

John Ryan — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 00:11:27 +0000

The Shell Oil Co. refinery in Anacortes, Wash., sprang a leak last week. Shell quickly shut down the equipment that was boiling oil to make gasoline, but the shutdown led to a release of toxic gases.

US Blames Shell For Mishaps, Remains Committed To Arctic Drilling

John Ryan — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:16:23 +0000

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar had some tough words for Shell Oil Thursday as he announced the results of an investigation into Shell's Alaskan accidents in 2012. But he did not announce the tough consequences that environmentalists were hoping for in the wake of Shell’s year of Arctic mishaps.

Shell Cancels Arctic Drilling For 2013

John Ryan — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:52:24 +0000

Shell Oil Co. has put Arctic drilling on hold. The company announced Wednesday that it will not attempt to drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean this year. The announcement comes after a year of accidents and setbacks for Shell’s Arctic drilling efforts.

The Price Of North Dakota's Oil Boom

PRODUCER — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:00:00 +0000

North Dakota is booming. The state's unemployment rate is just 3.2 percent — well below the national average of 7.9 percent. Officials are trying to keep pace with a population surge brought on by oil industry jobs that have made North Dakota the country's number two oil-producing state. But what will extracting millions of barrels from the Bakken oil field mean for the region's environmental and economic future? Writer and reporter Richard Manning joins us with the story of North Dakota's oil boom.

Shell's Arctic Vessels: To Asia For Major Repairs, Anacortes Area For Tests

John Ryan — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:06:19 +0000

UPDATE: Shell plans to use three tugs to tow the damaged Kulluk oil rig to Dutch Harbor in Alaska's Aleutian Islands, where it will await a longer trip to an unnamed Asian drydock. Shell and the US Coast Guard have disbanded the joint command formed after the Seattle-bound rig broke free from its sole tugboat, then ran aground. Officials said the Kulluk's outer hull was damaged but not breached. They did not specify the degree of damage, saying only, "The outer hull did receive damage as expected with a vessel being aground during adverse weather."

REI Executive Tapped For Interior

Mark Memmott — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:07:00 +0000

Update at 2:25 p.m. ET.

Northwest On Verge Of Becoming Pacific Crude Oil Gateway

Tom Banse — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:55:51 +0000

ABERDEEN, Wash. – The Northwest is on the verge of becoming a gateway for crude oil. Three different developers have plans to use docks on Grays Harbor, Washington to transfer crude oil from trains to ships. Other projects are getting off the ground in Tacoma, Vancouver, B.C. and on the lower Columbia River.
There was a huge turnout Wednesday night at an introductory public workshop in Aberdeen, Washington.

Addressing Climate Change In The Northwest

Ross Reynolds — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:20:00 +0000

Energy expert Amory Lovins says the United States can replace all oil and coal by the year 2050, without nuclear power, new federal taxes or subsidies, or new inventions. At the same time, we can grow the US economy by 158 percent.

Interior Dept., Coast Guard To Probe Shell’s Arctic Drilling Mishaps

John Ryan — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:05:22 +0000

The Obama administration launched a sweeping inquiry into Shell Oil’s Arctic drilling program on Tuesday. The probe, to be completed within 60 days, will look at the company’s mishaps in Alaska and in Puget Sound.

The announcement from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar comes a week after Shell’s Kulluk oil rig ran aground in the Gulf of Alaska.