Article says 11 foot seas and 34.5 kts (?) winds.
Yea something sounds off. Even if the period was 4 seconds, it doesn’t seem like enough to force drilling to stop and have a drill ship leave the area.
[QUOTE=KrustySalt;167948]Yea something sounds off. Even if the period was 4 seconds, it doesn’t seem like enough to force drilling to stop and have a drill ship leave the area.[/QUOTE]
I don’t think they moved, just shut down drilling. I thought headline was a little overwrought. Also I wondered about the 34.5 kts but it was 34.5 mph which is 30 kts.
Sometime there is 35 kt limit to operations (mooring or unmooring, cargo ops for example) and you hear people say the wind speed is 34.5 kts so you can either say it’s under 35 and it’s a go or you can round up and it’s a no-go. This discussion usually happens when the anemometer is bouncing around 40 kts.
“A separate Shell-contracted rig, the Noble Discoverer, which was not actively drilling, has left the area.”
Maybe I didn’t read it right, I had assumed the Disco was near by, but left the area due to the weather.
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“A separate Shell-contracted rig, the Noble Discoverer, which was not actively drilling, has left the area.”
Maybe I didn’t read it right, I had assumed the Disco was near by, but left the area due to the weather.
[QUOTE=KrustySalt;167986]“A separate Shell-contracted rig, the Noble Discoverer, which was not actively drilling, has left the area.”
Maybe I didn’t read it right, I had assumed the Disco was near by, but left the area due to the weather.
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“A separate Shell-contracted rig, the Noble Discoverer, which was not actively drilling, has left the area.”
Maybe I didn’t read it right, I had assumed the Disco was near by, but left the area due to the weather.[/QUOTE]
You’re right. The report was that Polar Pioneer stopped drillng and the Disco left the area. Also the wording about the weather was not the in the expected format. It said the area “had seen” 11 foot sea but that 34.5 mph (30 kts) winds were forecast. The spokesman seems to confuse current conditons with forecast conditons as well.
Looks like a misleading headline to a not well written article about a routine event.
If you’re just doing a quick skim the last paragraph is confusing as well as it is about an event in 2012.
(Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement)
(Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement)
WASHINGTON — High winds that are battering Alaska’s northern coastline and whipping through the state have forced Shell to pause exploratory oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean.
The Transocean Polar Pioneer has been boring a well in the Chukchi Sea, about 70 miles northwest of Alaska, since July 30.
Related story: Obama administration OKs deeper drilling in Arctic
But the area has seen 11-foot seas and gale-force winds expected to reach 34.5 miles per hour on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. A coastal flood warning, high surf advisory and small craft advisory have been issued for the region.
“Due to high wind and sea states, we paused all critical operations,” said Shell spokeswoman Kelly op de Weegh. “The Transocean Polar Pioneer proactively stopped operations more than a day ago, based on the forecast, and remains safely anchored over the well.”
A separate Shell-contracted rig, the Noble Discoverer, which was not actively drilling, has left the area.
It was unclear how quickly Shell might be able to resume its operations, though weather forecasts show winds dying down over the weekend. The Associated Press first reported Shell’s halt.
“Safety is paramount; ultimately our progress will be determined by safe, efficient operations,” op de Weegh said.
Shell has navigated around bad weather in the Arctic Ocean before. One day into its last drilling attempt, in September 2012, Shell was forced to briefly abandon its Burger prospect after a 30-mile-by-12-mile iceberg half the size of Houston encroached on the site.
Workers halted work, hurriedly disconnected from the ship’s eight anchors and retreated until the ice could pass by.
BAH! This is Alaska! If you can’t work in a near gale why are you even there? Soon ice will be returning and polar winds.
Jesus Christ, for that matter 1/2 the year that’s normal weather in the northeast!
Well stop off loading the boat in those conditions, but to stop drilling? Shell is really playing it safe this year. Things will be back to normal next year.
they’ll be back in business in a bit according to that Shell statement. Though they must’ve lost a good week of precious time.
Shell Resumes Operations After Storm Force Arctic Stop - http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/shell-resumes-operations-storm-force-arctic-stop-33444324
If I have the right location the drill site weather is NWS PKZ230: Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin.
Around 71N 163-30W
just a little insight n this ,i have worked the arctic oilfields of alaska in the past
just about every company up there have some crazy insane safety rules and regs in place
one of the most commons ones is wind ,anything over 20mph shuts down everything that is getting lifted or high profile
btw. there are no mountains on the north slope[arctic] either
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;168189]If I have the right location the drill site weather is NWS PKZ230: Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin.
Around 71N 163-30W[/QUOTE]
Zone 230 appears to be correct forecast area
This is fromCoast Pilot 9
(14) Weather, Arctic Ocean
(15) During July, August, and September, winds in the Bering Strait are most often out of the N or S at 13 to 15 knots. Gales blow less than one percent of the time, although winds reach 28 knots or more up to five percent of the time. This same flow is present over the open waters of the Chukchi Sea, where average wind speeds range from 14 to 18 knots, and gales occur about two percent of the time. In September, N winds become more frequent in the Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea, signaling a return to winter. At Kotzebue winds out of the SW through W are prevalent during the summer. In September, they return to the prevailing E winter flow; NE winds are also common in winter. Gales blow two percent of the time in November, December, January, and February, while winds at Kotzebue and Cape Lisburne reach 28 knots or more about three to seven percent of the time in winter.(16) Off the North Slope in July, August, and September, winds blow mainly out of the NE through E, at average speeds of 11 to 14 knots. Gales occur less than one percent of the time in July and August, but one to two percent of the time in September. SW through W winds are also common in summer. N through NE winds prevail during the winter. At Barrow, northeasterlies and easterlies blow the year-round at average speeds of 10 to 14 knots. Gales are infrequent and unlikely in March through August. At Barter Island, winds from the NE through E and SW through W make up about 75 to 85 percent of the observations. Westerlies are slightly more frequent in midwinter, while easterlies, which are frequent at all times, reach a peak in early summer. Winds from the W are strongest, averaging 17 to 18 knots during the winter, when gales blow two to four percent of the time. Winds have reached 75 knots at Barter Island. Strong winter winds often blow parallel to the coast from Barrow to Barter Island.
(17) In these N seas, advection or sea fog is the primary restriction to visibility during the warmer months of the year. It is most prevalent from June through September, affecting the exposed coasts as well as open seas. It is most dense during the morning hours. In July and August, visibilities drop below two miles 10 to 25 percent of the time in the Bering Strait, Chukchi Sea, and off the N coast of Alaska. They fall to 0.5 mile or less five to 20 percent of the time and are worse off the North Slope. At Barter Island, visibilities of 0.5 mile or less occur on 11 to 16 days per month from June through September, and visibilities of 0.25 mile or less occur both here and at Barrow on about 3 to 5 mornings per month during this period. Cape Lisburne is subjected to 3 to 7 days per month when visibilities fall to 0.5 mile or below. At Kotzebue, midsummer visibilities are good, while from November through June, poor visibilities occur on 3 to 7 days per month on the average. In winter, snow and blowing snow can reduce visibilities to less than 0.5 mile. The snow that accumulates is often so dry and powdery that a 10-knot wind can pick up enough to reduce visibilities to less than 5 miles. Ice fog and steam fog or arctic smoke also reduce visibilities in winter. Radiation fog can occur on calm, clear nights.
(18) Winters are cold and summers are cool along this coast. In November, average daily maximums drop to the low teens °F (-11 to -9°C) or below, while average minimums are around 0°F (-17.8°C). February is generally the coldest month. Average maximums range from just above 0°F (18°C) at Kotzebue to -14°F (-25.6°C), at Barter Island. Low temperatures in the -20°F (-28.9°C) range are common. Extremes of -59°F (-50.5°C) or below have been recorded. The big increase in temperature starts in March. By April, daytime highs in the 10 to 20°F (-12 to -7°C) range, and nighttime lows in the -5 to 5°F (-21 to -15°C) range are common. By June, temperatures are often in the forties (5 to 10°C) during the day and thirties (-1 to 4°C) at night. Warmest weather usually occurs in July. At Kotzebue, the average maximum is 59°F (15°C), while the average minimum is 48°F (8.9°C). Along the North Slope, these readings are 8 to 10°F (4 to 6°C) cooler. Extremes can reach the mid-seventies to mid-eighties (23 to 30°C).
(19) Since the air in this region holds relatively little moisture, particularly in winter, annual precipitation amounts are light, ranging from 5 to 15 inches (127 to 381 mm). The greatest amounts occur along the shores of the Chukchi Sea and Kotzebue Sound. While amounts are light, there are many snowy or rainy days. Some form of measurable precipitation falls on about 200 to 300 days each year. Snow falls in every month, but is the most frequent precipitation form from October through May. About 30 to 50 inches (762 to 1270 mm) fall each year. Heaviest amounts of precipitation are most likely in July, August, and September, when 2 to 4 inches (51 to 102 mm) per month are common.
Yes, it’s usually pretty good weather in the Chukchi Sea, certainly better than most other places in Alaska. Usually there is no significant ice within 100 miles.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;168238]Yes, it’s usually pretty good weather in the Chukchi Sea, certainly better than most other places in Alaska. Usually there is no significant ice within 100 miles.[/QUOTE]
The trip I made up there on the NOAA Ship SURVEYOR in August of 1983 we had good weather except for a few hours of strong gale force winds and heavy seas in the Bering Strait.
We did encounter some ice. Here’s a photo taken from the SURVEYOR of the Shell Icebreaker TERRY FOX doubling up a tow line to pull us out. We snapped the first one.
](https://flic.kr/p/4Jbfdd)Terry Fox in Heavy Ice by kennebeccaptain, on Flickr[/IMG]
This was the TERRY FOX’s maiden voyage. There was talk of sending one of the CG’s Polar Class icebreakers to assist us but the TERRY FOX managed to drag us out.
We were stuck for 10 days. One of the most interesting trips I’ve ever made. Really enjoyed working up there and always wanted to go back.
Like bays and passes everywhere in Alaska, the Bering Strait usually has more wind than the surrounding areas. Strong currents with a prevailing northerly set can also build up a sloppy sea in the Bering Strait even without a lot of wind. Close to the Alaska mainland the current can set both north and south, but near the Diomede Islands (in the middle of the Bering Strait) it always sets to the north. The upper Chukchi Sea north of Point Lay (about 100 miles SE of the Shell drill site) gets more weather (with a lot more fetch) than the lower Chukchi.
This what Cyrosphere Today shows for current ice conditions in the Arctic:
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/NEWIMAGES/arctic.seaice.color.000.png
There does not appear to be any ice at all within 200 miles of Shell’s drill site. However, Cryosphere Today only shows ice where the ice concentration exceeds 1/10th cover. So there theoretically could be some isolated patches of thin ice drifting around near the Shell drill site.
gale warnings in effect again up in the Chukchi Sea. Winds up to 40 kt tomorrow, seas 14 ft and some snow showers.
http://marine.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=PKZ230&mp=0
Not the best conditions to wrap up it all up and plug the well before the drilling season stops next week.
[QUOTE=Drill Bill;169303]gale warnings in effect again up in the Chukchi Sea. Winds up to 40 kt tomorrow, seas 14 ft and some snow showers.
http://marine.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=PKZ230&mp=0
Not the best conditions to wrap up it all up and plug the well before the drilling season stops next week.[/QUOTE]
It is the season. Arctic highs flowing toward the big lows that start tracking off Kamchatka and across the Aleutians. Still probably a month to go before any significant ice at sea.
How many wells did they drill? Results?