Salvagers mum about Shell rig’s status after grounding

— ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The united command overseeing the salvage of a Royal Dutch Shell PLC drill barge that ran aground on a remote Alaska island will release minimal information on the vessel until an assessment is completed, a spokesman said.

Shell’s drill vessel Kulluk ran aground New Year’s Eve onthe southeast side of Sitkalidak Island near Kodiak Island. On Jan. 6, it was pulled off the rocky bottom and towed a day later to protected waters in Kiliuda Bay within Kodiak Island.

The operation is under the direction of a unified command structure made up of Shell, the Coast Guard, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the Kodiak IslandBorough. The unified command has acknowledged that the vessel remains upright, has not leaked fuel and has been examined by divers, but not much else.

The unified command said 250 people are in the Kodiak area as part of the effort and future plans for the Kulluk will be determined once a report is finished.

Business, Pages 24 on 01/19/2013

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