Noble Drilling hit by another set back after fire on Shell Nobel Discoverer
Just what is needed in pristine Arctic waters: An accident prone Drilling Company employed by a reckless greedy oil giant with a notorious "Touch F*** All" offshore safety culture and a track record of unconscionable, untreated environmental devastation e.g. Nigeria.
By John Donovan
Last month the Noble Discoverer drilling ship involved in Shell's hapless inaugural season of Arctic oil exploration caught fire in Dutch Harbor, an international port in Alaska. This followed an earlier mishap in July when it slipped its anchor in Dutch Harbor and appeared to have gone aground, though this was denied by Shell despite the visual evidence above to the contrary.
Now an oil rig at a ship yard in Singapore – the Nobel Regina Allen – also owned by Noble Drilling has partly collapsed, injuring 89 people. See photographs below.
Just what is needed in pristine Arctic waters: An accident prone Drilling Company employed by a reckless greedy oil giant with a notorious "Touch F*** All" offshore safety culture and a track record of unconscionable, untreated environmental devastation e.g. Nigeria.
COMMENT RECEIVED FROM A SHELL SOURCE:
How come rigs catch fire when working for Shell? I remember that there was a big fire on the ill fated rig in Kashagan in 1996 or 1997. That swampbarge also was a clapped out piece of junk from Nigeria, moved to Louisiana to fix it up, thereafter to Finland to winterise and then by railroad and containers to Kazachstan. Budget around 37 million dollars, actual around 130 million dollars BEFORE Shell found out. And only after BP had called Watts (not yet a reverend then) with a 'what the f'ck are you guys doing?'. Nobody in the top knew since financial and other controls were severed as these would only hamper the growth of the business…… They were all busy with behavioural sciences and other bullshit. The rest is as they say history!
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