Drifting sea ice halts Arctic drilling

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As offshore oil drilling edges ever closer to becoming a reality in the Arctic Ocean, the Center for American Progress examines the region’s lack of readiness in the event of a spill. Oil & Ice: Risks of Drilling in Alaska’s Arctic Ocean video highlights the concerns and challenges facing the Coast Guard charged with its protection, the grave doubts of the scientific community about the lack of knowledge in this area, and the perspectives of those who depend on the Arctic Ocean for their livelihood.

Drifting sea ice halts Shell’s Arctic drilling

An iceberg off Alaska, 30 miles long and 12 miles wide, halted Shell’s oil drilling operation. It is expected to resume soon. Photograph: Raimund Linke/Getty Images

Ice stalls work one day after it began; critics say event illustrates dangers.

By DAN JOLING
Daily News staff and wire report

Royal Dutch Shell halted drilling in the Chukchi Sea on Monday — one day after it began — because of sea ice moving toward the company’s drill ship off Alaska.

Shell Alaska spokesman Curtis Smith said drilling was stopped as a precautionary measure in accordance with its ice management plan.

Environmental groups say the complication illustrates the dangers of working in the Arctic. The Wilderness Society said Shell, faced with a shortened drilling season, was trying to mark its space in the Arctic whether or not it was ready to drill.

The ice pack measures about 30 miles by 12 miles. When it moves on, the Noble Discoverer will reconnect to anchors set in the sea floor and resume drilling, Shell says. That could take two days or longer.

“It’s significant pack of ice,” Smith said. “It’s not one solid sheet but there are some pieces of the ice that are more remarkable than others. In one point, we estimate the thickest part of the ice to be about 25 meters.” That’s about 80 feet.

 

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In 1995 At Maui High Performance Computing Center The Maui Scientific Analysis & Visualization of the Environment Program was first incubated. I was the principal investigator of this independant research project which was a joint development between MHPCC, Silicon Graphics Computers (SGI) & NKO.ORG. Using SGI Cosmo Worlds software, we pioneered the development of Internet based 3D virtual reality GIS based interactive worlds. In 1996 with a network of seven high performance SGI workstations we pioneered development of live streaming MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, Real Video and QuickTime Streaming Server utilizing Kassenna MediaBase software. In Maui 2002 we pioneered and tested the first wireless live streaming video using laptop computers and Maui Sky Fiber's portable 3G wireless device. In Maui we pioneered live streaming video using usb modems from AT&T , Verizon as well as live streaming from iPhone 3 over 3G wireless networks. Today The Maui S.A.V.E. Program has diversified into storm tracking including visualization and analysis of large, memory-intensive gridded data sets such as the National Hurricane Center's wind speed probabilities. I volunteer my services to numerous Disaster Services Organizations. In June 2013 I returned from Hurricane Sandy deployment as a computer operations service associate with the Disaster Services Technology Group assisting as The American Red Cross migrated from a Disaster Response Operation to Long Term Recovery Operations. Pioneering the production/editing and Internet distribution of HD video to sites like Youtube.com and Vimeo.com we are shining the light towards environmental and peace efforts of humans across the globe. Since 1992 I have held the vision of establishing Maui, Hawaii as the environmental sciences center of the world. After His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet came to Maui This vision has expanded to establishing Maui as the environmental & peace center of the world.

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