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Arctic oil drilling takes 1st steps

SFGate -- Barrow, Alaska --

Even if Shell strikes oil in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, it could be at least a dozen years - and billions upon billions of dollars - before a single drop of it arrives at a refinery.

Here, far above the Arctic Circle, there is no network of pipelines snaking along the seabed. There are no deep-water ports. Even docks can be hard to come by.

The entire infrastructure to support offshore development in a hostile climate would have to be built from scratch.

"The big technical challenge in the Arctic is simply the scale of it, because there is no infrastructure," said Charlie Williams, a recently retired chief scientist at Shell who sits on a federal drilling safety advisory committee. "It's the sheer scale of putting in all the pipelines and all the platform

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Submitted Nov 12, 2012 By: aservant

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,599 Points:1,607,570 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Nov 15, 2012 12:02:56 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse LEC: I agree. well worth repeating.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,203,730 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Nov 13, 2012 9:17:47 AM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse This comment bears repeating, "sheer scale of the arctic is impressive...and so will the sheer scale of a spill in the arctic."...Discovery02
MidNJ Champion Author New Jersey Posts:7,546 Points:1,171,835 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Nov 13, 2012 6:25:26 AM Ignore MidNJ Report Abuse Sounds very, very expensive. So much for $2.50 a gallon gas.
jrs4125 Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,748 Points:589,795 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Nov 13, 2012 4:21:00 AM Ignore jrs4125 Report Abuse As the world runs out of this finite resource places like this may be the only supply.
FluffyDogAttack Champion Author Riverside Posts:1,074 Points:95,675 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Nov 13, 2012 4:14:00 AM Ignore FluffyDogAttack Report Abuse Oh lord, wouldn't want to drill for oil there. The earth is so fragile, ya know. It's survived millions of years of earthquakes, giant meteorites, polar shifts, ice ages, mass extinctions, volcanoes...but it just couldn't survive that scary "drilling for oil". Oil is just so unnatural. Geez, some people think it's actually something that forms naturally and comes from the earth. Crazy people.
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,083 Points:1,621,355 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 11:42:07 PM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse $5 billion and several years of incompetence with drifting ships and rigs out of control and poorly fitted. Perfect recipe for disaster courtesy of a bumbling Royal Dutch Shell effort.
SkooterG Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,359 Points:328,585 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 12:21:04 PM Ignore SkooterG Report Abuse Not so easy.
Jeffro61 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,262 Points:2,283,920 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 11:45:31 AM Ignore Jeffro61 Report Abuse Good luck.
tomok Champion Author Portland Posts:32,970 Points:2,344,535 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 11:44:44 AM Ignore tomok Report Abuse Arctic oil drilling takes 1st steps! It all starts with the 1st step, and the next one, and the next one. Drilling in the Artic can be a hazardous operation and having no pipeline or deep water port can be a huge problem. Construct the infrastructure necessary for drilling and crude oil delivery and move on. Drill with extreme caution, protect the workers and do not make black water or black ice! Keep all the oil and natural gas produced for use in the US Only! Whatever the size or shape of the vehicle, Produce and ‘Drive’ vehicles with high MPG, are very safe, reliable, have a ‘reasonable’ cost and a good ‘value’ for the money. The price of fuel at the pump is too high! XII/XXII/MMXII!
SmokeFan14 Champion Author St. Louis Posts:2,118 Points:1,085,840 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 11:21:30 AM Ignore SmokeFan14 Report Abuse Drill baby drill.
spiderjay Champion Author Little Rock Posts:4,773 Points:1,282,235 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 11:03:30 AM Ignore spiderjay Report Abuse more U S oil
bart_reed Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,964 Points:783,680 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 10:10:45 AM Ignore bart_reed Report Abuse It will take a lot to do this.
Discovery02 Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:2,540 Points:308,715 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:55:47 AM Ignore Discovery02 Report Abuse The sheer scale of the arctic is impressive...and so will the sheer scale of a spill in the arctic.
11SilveradoMN Champion Author Minnesota Posts:1,221 Points:338,380 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:46:50 AM Ignore 11SilveradoMN Report Abuse I say start some infrastructure
LCSTEELERBOB Champion Author Gary Posts:2,961 Points:720,130 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:42:56 AM Ignore LCSTEELERBOB Report Abuse if need be
BigOyl All-Star Author Wichita Posts:882 Points:348,305 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:34:53 AM Ignore BigOyl Report Abuse This is a resource that SHOULD have been tapped YESTERDAY! DUH! These Environmentalist Whacko Leftists crack me up! The infrastructure needs to be started PRONTO! Who cares if it takes 10-20 years. At the end of that time period, THEN we'll have it to use! DUH! If we sit around and worry about how its going to affect some small insignificant organism that nobody's heard of, then it will never get done and we'll STILL be sitting around complaining!!!
sdiddydaddy Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:1,101 Points:395,045 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:34:34 AM Ignore sdiddydaddy Report Abuse i won't be signing up for work there . . .
stpetebp Champion Author Tampa Posts:6,211 Points:1,731,380 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:32:59 AM Ignore stpetebp Report Abuse Drill and keep it here...
gasoutherneagle Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,249 Points:737,410 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:32:06 AM Ignore gasoutherneagle Report Abuse This is hurry and wait propaganda article!
sivart Champion Author Arkansas Posts:18,213 Points:3,069,010 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:31:47 AM Ignore sivart Report Abuse k
angel4me Champion Author San Jose Posts:2,814 Points:793,795 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:31:43 AM Ignore angel4me Report Abuse looking at decades.........
Tutootin Champion Author Toronto Posts:10,111 Points:3,075,480 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:31:31 AM Ignore Tutootin Report Abuse They have the option to do this safely and environmentally friendly. Hope they set an example!
thirty8paces Champion Author Baltimore Posts:4,511 Points:1,105,155 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:31:20 AM Ignore thirty8paces Report Abuse Hopefully they're uber careful up there.
mackconsult Champion Author Portland Posts:5,304 Points:864,030 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:31:12 AM Ignore mackconsult Report Abuse Good for them
Soglaos Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:2,770 Points:736,485 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:30:19 AM Ignore Soglaos Report Abuse Good
2gjh Champion Author North Dakota Posts:3,174 Points:2,447,600 Joined:Nov 2003	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:29:38 AM Ignore 2gjh Report Abuse Summer work
Trowinsamoan Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:1,147 Points:184,890 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:29:31 AM Ignore Trowinsamoan Report Abuse Waste of time and $$$$$
scrossi Champion Author Indiana Posts:3,874 Points:1,046,540 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:28:44 AM Ignore scrossi Report Abuse Agreed asbury09.
Dale Jr. Champion Author Illinois Posts:16,219 Points:3,235,100 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:28:36 AM Ignore Dale Jr. Report Abuse Good luck
Asbury09 Champion Author Iowa Posts:7,203 Points:1,528,355 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:27:49 AM Ignore Asbury09 Report Abuse be sure there are super redundant blow-out preventers
indyjim Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:10,082 Points:2,317,480 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:27:24 AM Ignore indyjim Report Abuse There won't be much competition.
snky2k Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:1,393 Points:302,590 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:26:45 AM Ignore snky2k Report Abuse Very dangerous place.
ILANGE9 Champion Author Illinois Posts:7,605 Points:1,595,250 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:25:50 AM Ignore ILANGE9 Report Abuse I agree with 40mpgsaturn.
rattlewagon Rookie Author Arizona Posts:99 Points:71,590 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:25:16 AM Ignore rattlewagon Report Abuse I'm sure the oil companies will end up screwing up this part of the world for us as well.
LarksNY Champion Author Albany Posts:1,394 Points:633,440 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:24:13 AM Ignore LarksNY Report Abuse Conflicted.
georged12 All-Star Author Michigan Posts:836 Points:52,410 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:24:01 AM Ignore georged12 Report Abuse ok
Edpap Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:4,317 Points:504,975 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:23:53 AM Ignore Edpap Report Abuse find a nicer spot
40mpgsaturn Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:2,485 Points:519,455 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:22:41 AM Ignore 40mpgsaturn Report Abuse Just do it safely!
sickhp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,369 Points:515,180 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:21:56 AM Ignore sickhp Report Abuse Awesome drill baby drill in all of America and tell OPEC to go pound sand.
ILVET Champion Author Illinois Posts:14,784 Points:2,924,415 Joined:Jan 2005	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:21:47 AM Ignore ILVET Report Abuse I guess their looking for profit in the future
cableman31 Champion Author New York Posts:8,823 Points:2,014,850 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:21:31 AM Ignore cableman31 Report Abuse They don't care how much it will cost, we will end up paying the bill. Don't think that oil is only for shell. Once oil hits a distribution terminal, they sell to all companies. You can see all brand home heating oil trucks and many different brand gasoline tankers pulling out of the same terminal.
TXGasPriceSpy Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:7,800 Points:1,470,325 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:20:11 AM Ignore TXGasPriceSpy Report Abuse The time has come.
Somis1 Champion Author Ventura Posts:13,672 Points:2,612,825 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:20:10 AM Ignore Somis1 Report Abuse If they are exploring they must be ready to make the necessary production investment.
dlemma Champion Author Wyoming Posts:4,101 Points:1,554,045 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:19:45 AM Ignore dlemma Report Abuse These pipelines could have been put in YEARS ago (DECADES ago) - but were stopped by Dems and the non-existent GLOBAL WARMING (hoax).
itzagasgasgas1 Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:3,964 Points:1,597,545 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:19:26 AM Ignore itzagasgasgas1 Report Abuse Yes, do it safely.
Heltonw Champion Author Montana Posts:3,299 Points:1,657,415 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:19:24 AM Ignore Heltonw Report Abuse This should have been done 20 years ago.
Zeke33 Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:5,568 Points:1,614,110 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:19:10 AM Ignore Zeke33 Report Abuse Not a job for me. I can't stand the cold.
Hangnail309 Champion Author Manitoba Posts:6,014 Points:1,675,230 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:18:49 AM Ignore Hangnail309 Report Abuse Do it safely ...
Tsunamiron Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,424 Points:556,750 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:18:39 AM Ignore Tsunamiron Report Abuse Addicted Americans will do anything for oil. It is like a drug addiction to them.
masker5900 Veteran Author Mobile Posts:363 Points:159,165 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:18:12 AM Ignore masker5900 Report Abuse Watch out for the crabs.