Sunday, December 30, 2012

Big trouble off Kodiak

The drilling platform Kulluk and two tugs. USCG photo

Shell and the U.S. Coast Guard are fighting like crazy to save a mobile offshore drilling platform that's broken free from tow boats in a stormy Gulf of Alaska south of Kodiak Island.

Responders are thinking about taking the platform, if they can regain control of it, to safe anchorage in Marmot Bay.

Here's a state situation report issued at 5 p.m.

And here's a unified command website with updates, video and photos.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

A high seas "shell game" sure to keep everyone guessing.

Anonymous said...

Fishing boats are being called up.

Anonymous said...

Might want to crew those vessels with officers and crew that know the weather conditions of Alaska in the winter. Aspects of shipping in Alaska are much different than the Gulf of Mexico. Why were they attempting this tow with a weather forecast this adverse? If they can't even transit from Dutch Harbor to Seattle do we really want to trust them to drill in the arctic?

Anonymous said...

We couldn't believe this 360 ft multi million dollar tug got shut down by bad fuel. WTF???

The 90 ft crabber I engineered on 30 years ago had a centrifuge. centrifuge fuel into the day tank and then recirculate until it's time to fill the day tank again.

Now I get a call from a friend that says gulf boats don't have centrifuges, just filters.

Every time I turn around there is a new CG rule and a boat of this size towing an oil rig can have a mickey mouse setup???

Rules are for the little people.

Anonymous said...

Looks like it will be on the beach shortly. Broke loose again, weather is worse and it's dark.