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Polar Pioneer: Drilling More Than Oil
Energy resources are an obvious issue in 2015. Humans, and specifically humans in the
United Stats, need oil and other fossil fuels to function in a modern world. The problem
with these resources is that they harm our environment and they are a finite resource and
are becoming less available and accessible. This forces oil companies to tap into sources in
different places that could really hurt our environment. This leads us to a local debate that
is turning into a national story involving offshore drilling in the arctic. The Polar Pioneer, a
Shell owned drilling rig, is set to go to the arctic and set up two drilling wells this summer,
but before they head north the rig is going to dock in Seattle for basic shipyard repairs and
maintenance. The Mayor of Seattle, the City Council and local environmentalists are
trying to bar this from happening and don’t want to be involved in Shells plans to drill in
the arctic. This conflict brings up environmental, economical, and moral issues and some
big decisions for Seattle. The government will most likely be making some big decisions
in the near future. But what should Seattle do? What should Shell do? And what should our
government do?
The Polar Pioneer is set to dock in Seattle in Terminal 5 which is currently in a 2 year, $13
million dollar lease with Foss Maritime. The dock is often used for cruise and container
ships for similar work that the Pioneer will see. But Mayor Murray and the City Council
are trying to argue that Terminal 5 only has a permit, “to be used for cargo loading and
unloading not for maintaining and supplying oil-drilling rigs”, said Mayor Murray to the
Seattle Times. Currently the City could issue a notice of violation requiring compliance by
a specific deadline and could fine the port $150 a day for 10 days and $500 a day after
that, also according to the Seattle Times. That money is going to put no dent in the Shell
pocket book, which will be spending millions in the arctic this summer. The other route the
city could take would be to take the Port, Foss Maritime, and Shell to court and file an
injunction but according to the Seattle Times, “In court, the best-case scenario for the city
likely would be persuading a judge to issue a temporary restraining order and then a
