Shell Oil defies Seattle Port Commissioners - brings big rigs into port

[Divernan]

Click on this link to see photo of one of these huge monsters being towed along the Seattle waterfront. Kayakers are Kayactivists and there's a battle in Seattle to stop arctic drilling.

http://kuow.org/post/shell-oil-rig-arrives-port-seattle
Shell Oil Rig Arrives At Port Of Seattle
By John Ryan • 14 hours ago

Environmental activists in kayaks paddled into the middle of Seattle's Elliott Bay on Thursday afternoon to meet -- or, as they say, "un-welcome" -- a huge Shell oil rig.

The arrival of the Polar Pioneer could raise the stakes in the battle over Shell's oil exploration plans in the remote Arctic Ocean.

Seattle City Council member Mike O'Brien said this is a key moment in the fight against drilling in the Arctic.

"If they had other alternatives that were good alternatives, I imagine they would be there, but they're not," he said of Shell Oil. "Yes, I think there is a chance that when Seattle draws the line and says, 'You are not going to use our port,' this may be the straw that breaks the camel's back. This may be the end of Arctic drilling. This fight that's happening in Seattle could be the end of it."

And an earlier report on KUOW:
http://kuow.org/post/foss-ceo-arctic-drill-rigs-coming-seattle-despite-city-port-objections

Foss CEO: Arctic Drill Rigs Coming To Seattle Despite City, Port Objections
By John Ryan • May 13, 2015

The Seattle Port Commission has voted to delay the arrival of Arctic drill rigs on the Seattle waterfront, but Shell Oil’s contractor is vowing to bring them here anyway.

After a contentious five-hour meeting Tuesday, the Port Commission decided to tell Shell and contractor Foss Maritime that bringing the rigs to Seattle would be illegal, at least for now.
Foss CEO Paul Stevens rejected that. "We're sticking to our plans,” he said. “The oil rigs are coming down this week."

Last week, Mayor Ed Murray announced that the port's permit for cargo ships doesn't apply to oil rigs, so Foss and Shell would have to get a new permit. Such a delay could make it difficult for Shell to get its two rigs up to the Arctic in time for the summer drilling season.

Shell has been planning to bring the two rigs to Seattle, before sending them up to Alaska.
On Tuesday, port commissioners said they didn't want a protracted dispute with the city.

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. Shell Assures Nation

Shell Assures Nation Most Arctic Wildlife To Go Extinct Well Before Next Spill


“We can assure you that there will be no repeat of the BP oil spill, in which a complex, thriving ecosystem was destroyed. At most, only some algae and maybe a few mackerel will still be around when our rig explodes and spews millions of gallons of oil into their habitat, and we believe those species will pretty much be on their last legs by then anyway.” Smith added that the environmental hazards associated with the initial installation of the rigs will also go a long way toward ensuring most of the fauna has died off prior to any future spills.


http://www.theonion.com/article/shell-assures-nation-most-arctic-wildlife-go-extin-50408

[Divernan]

2. Love the Onion.

[djean111]

3. I believe that, under the fabulous TTIP, Shell will be able to sue the city of Seattle and either

overturn any obstacles to bringing its big rigs into the harbor, or else be awarded all the profit they felt they were going to make from drilling.