Arctic Drilling: From Improbable To Inevitable

Shell Oil's seven-year, $4 billion investment has paid off. Awaiting final Interior Dept. permits, two drilling ships, moored in Seattle, are poised to travel to the Arctic to begin drilling test wells in 150 ft of water off northern Alaska in July.

2 minute read

May 28, 2012, 7:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


In this feature article, John M. Broder and Clifford Krauss look at the conditions, including the legacy of the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989, that led to Shell Oil's successful pursuit of the right to drill in the fragile Arctic waters. Shell took a different political course than its Big Oil brethren as it set about wooing potential adversaries by "pushing for a strong response to climate changes."

Its biggest obstacle proved not to be President Obama, "under pressure from rising gas prices" nor the mainstream environmental organizations who remain opposed to the effort.

"Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council and a member of the National Commission on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling characterized the exploration as "a reckless gamble we cannot afford."

The 5,000 Inupiat Eskimos who see the drilling as a threat to their whale-based culture, and their leader, North Slope Borough Mayor Edward S. Itta whose "gravitas grew from his acclaim as one of the area's finest whaling captains", proved to be the greatest obstacle. As Broder writes in his Green blog, these Eskimos are the ones most likely to suffer should there be an oil spill.

"Shell company executives say (the Arctic) could eventually yield a million barrels a day of crude - or more than 10 percent of current domestic output." [U.S. Crude oil plus petroleum products of 8.5 mb/day + natural gas liquids of 2 mb/day.]

As possibly an omen of the difficulties in drilling in the Arctic that await Shell, "the heaviest polar ice in more than a decade is clinging to the northern coast of Alaska could postpone the commencement of offshore oil drilling until the beginning of August", reports the LA Times.

Thursday, May 24, 2012 in The New York Times - Environment

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of Donald Shoup during interview.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

February 10, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Close-up of smartphone with USDOT website pulled up and screen with USDOT logo in background.

DOT Memo Directs Transportation Funding to Communities With Higher Marriage and Birth Rates, Compliance with Immigration Officials and No Mask Mandates

The memo ties immigration enforcement to federal funding and prohibits mask or vaccine mandates.

February 5, 2025 - Huffpost

Red 1972 Ford Pinto with black racing stripes on display with man sitting in driver's seat.

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto

The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

February 11, 2025 - Mother Jones

Aerial view of Kapi'olani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Community Colleges: A Pathway for Native Hawaiian Achievement and Growth

The University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges provide Native Hawaiian students with transformative educational experiences, integrating academic success, cultural identity, and strong community support to help them find purpose and thrive.

3 hours ago - University of Hawai'i News

Los Angeles, California skyline against mountains at sunset.

Building Resilient Communities: Insights from the LA County Cities Summit

The Los Angeles County Cities Summit convened local leaders to share strategies for advancing sustainability, addressing climate resilience, extreme heat, and other pressing environmental challenges through policy and community-driven solutions.

4 hours ago - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Green Flixbus bus parked on street in Los Angeles, California with palm trees and Hollywood buildings in background on sunny day.

Intercity Bus Ridership Grows Despite Service Cuts

Passengers continue to rely on intercity bus lines, even as cities shutter bus terminals and bus companies restructure to avoid financial failure.

5 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive