Shell boss defends Alaska project as ice halts drilling

Source: The Guardian

The man at the centre of Shell's controversial drilling programme in the Arctic has said he is aware of the responsibility on his head but is convinced the Anglo-Dutch oil group is acting in a fully responsible and accountable way.

Speaking after a huge ice floe forced drilling 70 miles off the north-west coast of Alaska to be temporarily halted, Peter Slaiby, vice-president of Shell Alaska, insisted that the company had learned from the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

"We are raising the bar in the way we have been working with local communities," he said. "We have made 450 different trips to consult and listen to any concerns. We believe the way we are doing this is important – not just for Alaska but for the wider Arctic region."

Shell has spent more than $4.5bn (£2.77bn) over four years preparing for work in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, off the state's west and north coasts, but has faced legal action, post-Deepwater Horizon drilling bans and a very short summer weather window.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/sep/16/shell-alaska-oild-drilling-resume