Project Profile
Value: Undisclosed
Location: Outer Continental Shelf in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska, USA
Reserves: unknown
Area: unknown
Start-up Year: -
The Burger (Blocks 6714, 6764 and 6912), SW Shoebill (Block 7007), and the Crackerjack (Block 6869) prospects are located in the Outer Continental Shelf in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska. Shell wholly owns and operates the prospects. Shell submitted an IEP proposing to drill exploration wells at up to three of five possible drill sites during the July to October 2010 open-water-drilling season. It is anticipated that initial drilling operations will begin at the Burger prospect using the M/V Frontier Discoverer drillship, which has been retrofitted and ice reinforced for operations in the Arctic OCS Waters.
On April 2, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted Shell approval to explore in the Alaskan Chukchi Sea. The EPA air permits awarded allow the emissions of a drilling ship and support vessels, however the operator still needs the final Beaufort Sea air permit to move forward with their 2010 drilling program. It was announced on May 27, 2010 that the Obama administration will suspend planned exploratory oil drilling in the Artic Ocean off Alaska until at least 2011 because of the occurring oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, reported Dow Jones. Shell will not be able to move forward and commence proposed exploratory drilling on three to five well sites in the Chukchi Sea.
Operator:
Shell: Operator with 100% interest
Contractors:
Noble Energy: Drilling contractor