Shell Camden Bay Offshore Exploration, Beaufort Sea Revised Comment Deadline

Project Title/State ID#:
Camden Bay Offshore Exploration/AK0908-02OG

Applicant/Agent:
Shell Offshore Inc./Susan Childs

Location:
The planned drill site locations are: Torpedo H - latitude 70º 27' 01.6193" N and longitude 145º 49' 32.0650" W; and Sivulliq N - latitude 70º 23' 29.5814" N and longitude 145º 58' 52.5284" W, on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) north of Point Thomson near Camden Bay in the Beaufort Sea, in federal waters offshore of the North Slope Borough Coastal District.

Review Schedule (50 days):
• Day 1 9/1/09
• Comments due on or before 10/14/09
• Final determination issued by 11/3/09

How you can participate:
This project is being reviewed for consistency with the Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP). Your comments on the proposed project's consistency must be submitted in writing to the Division of Coastal and Ocean Management (DCOM). Comments about inconsistency must identify the relevant enforceable policy and explain how the project is not consistent with that policy.

Any comments concerning this proposal's consistency with 11 AAC 112.310, and comments regarding Shell's Beaufort Sea Regional Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan (ODPCP) must be submitted directly to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Deadline for written comments: 5:00 PM on October 14, 2009

Contact:
For ACMP consistency comments:
Nina Brudie, Oil & Gas Project Review Manager Alaska Coastal Management Program, DCOM 550 W. 7th Ave, Suite 705, Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 907-334-2563 Fax: 907-269-3981
Email: nina.brudie@alaska.gov
Web site: http://www.alaskacoast.state.ak.us/

For comments on the Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan (ODPCP) or consistency with the State of Alaska Air, land and water quality standard (11 AAC 112.310):
Gary Mendivil, Program Coordinator
Office of the Commissioner
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation 410 Willoughby Ste 303/PO Box 111800 Juneau, AK 99811-1800
Phone: 907-465-5061 Fax: 907-465-5070
Email: gary.mendivil@alaska.gov

Project Description:
Shell Offshore Inc. (Shell) is proposing to conduct an exploration drilling program on U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS) Alaska Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leases located north of Point Thomson near Camden Bay in the Beaufort Sea during the 2010 drilling season (Camden Bay 2010 Exploration Plan, hereinafter, "EP"). The leases were acquired during the Beaufort Sea Oil and Gas Lease Sales 195 (March 2005) and 202 (April 2007). In the EP, Shell plans to drill two wells, one each on the Torpedo prospect (NR06-04 Flaxman Island lease block 6610, OCS-Y-1941 [Flaxman Island 6610]) and the Sivulliq prospect (NR06- 04 Flaxman Island lease block 6658, OCS-Y 1805 [Flaxman Island 6658]). The planned drill site locations are: Torpedo H - latitude 70º 27' 01.6193" N and longitude 145º 49' 32.0650" W; and Sivulliq N - latitude 70º 23' 29.5814" N and longitude 145º 58' 52.5284" W. All drilling is planned to be vertical; therefore bottomhole locations would have the same latitude and longitude as surface locations.

Shell plans to drill the Torpedo H drill site first, followed by Sivulliq N, unless adverse surface conditions or other factors dictate a reversal of drilling sequence. In that case, Shell would mobilize to the Sivulliq N drill site and drill this well first.

The ice-reinforced drillship Motor Vessel (M/V) Frontier Discoverer (Discoverer) would be used to drill the wells. Drillship specifications for the Discoverer are located at the end of Section 1.0 in the EP. While on location at the drill sites, the Discoverer would be affixed to the seafloor using eight 7-ton Stevpris anchors arranged in a radial array.

During the 2010 drilling season, the Discoverer would be attended by a minimum of six vessels that would be used for ice management, anchor handling, oil spill response (OSR), refueling, resupply, and servicing of the drilling operations (see Section 13.0 in the EP). The ice management vessels would consist of an icebreaker and an anchor handler.

Resupply would be from West Dock to the drill sites and would use a coastwise qualified vessel. An ice-capable OSR barge (OSRB), with an associated tug would be located nearby during the planned drilling program. The OSRB would be supported by a berthing vessel for the OSR crew. An OSR tanker also would be nearby to store recovered liquids. A vessel would support the Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (4MP) activities associated with the drilling program.

The Discoverer and associated support vessels would transit through the Bering Strait into the Chukchi Sea on or about July 1, arriving on location near Camden Bay approximately July 10. Exploration drilling activities at the Sivulliq or Torpedo drill sites are planned to begin on or about July 10 and run through October 31, 2010, with a suspension of all drilling operations beginning August 25 for the Nuiqsut (Cross Island) and Kaktovik subsistence bowhead whale hunts. The Discoverer and support vessels would either leave the Camden Bay project area and return to resume activities after the Nuiqsut (Cross Island) and Kaktovik subsistence bowhead whale hunts conclude or would leave the Beaufort Sea entirely. Activities would extend through October 31, depending on ice and weather. At the end of the drilling season, the Discoverer and associated support vessels would transit west into and through the Chukchi Sea.

Helicopters are planned to provide support for crew change, provision resupply, and search-and-rescue operations during the drilling season. The aircraft operations would principally be based in Deadhorse, Alaska. Section 13.0 of the EP provides additional information regarding aircraft operations.

Scope of Project to be Reviewed
The project subject to this consistency review consists of the drilling activities described in detail in the Camden Bay 2010 Exploration Plan, as required in federal regulation at 15 CFR 930.70 and in state regulation at 11 AAC 110.400(b)(6)(D) and .455.

For your information:
Individuals with disabilities who may need auxiliary aids, services, or special modifications to participate in this review may contact the DCOM review staff at the above address.

Public notice posted in Barrow, Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay and Kaktovik at public places and on the ACMP web site. The application materials and ACMP review packet are available to download at the following URL: ftp://ftp.dnr.state.ak.us/dcom/Shell2010CamdenBayEP