Shell has confirmed that an icebreaker vessel supporting its summer drilling programme off Alaska has a leak and must be repaired, potentially jeopardising the supermajor's tight Arctic drilling schedule.

Shortly after departing Dutch Harbor, Alaska, in charted waters last Friday, the crew of MSV Fennica was alerted to a leak in the vessel's ballast tank, Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said in a statement.

"The Fennica's automatic systems alerted the crew to water intrusion into a ballast tank. When this was noticed and investigated, a determination was made to return to Dutch Harbor," Smith said.

An inspection at Dutch Harbor revealed a small breech of Fennica's hull. The hole was about 39 inches long and about a half-inch wide. It was not immediately clear what caused it, or what repairs would entail.

"All appropriate authorities were promptly notified and repair options are being considered," Smith said.

"At this point we do not anticipate any impact on the season, but it's too early to know for sure. The answer will ultimately depend on the extent of the repairs."

There were no injuries or environmental damage reported.

Shell is undertaking a controversial drilling campaign in the frigid Chukchi Sea in an encore to the company's folly-plagued 2012 venture.

The company has already spent several billion dollars on the drilling programme off Alaska and has emphasised its laser-focus on safety preparations ahead of the 2015 programme.

Shell's plans already faced a setback after the US Interior Department ruled that wildlife protections would prevent the operator from drilling two wells simultaneously into its Burger prospect.

Strong environmental opposition could further complicate matters for Shell, as green groups demand the federal government rescind approval of its Arctic exploration plan.

MSV Fennica, owned by Arctia Offshore of Finland, is one of more than two dozen vessels in Shell’s Arctic fleet.

The vessel is tasked with,among other things, carrying Shell's capping stack, designed to stanch the flow of oil in the case of a well blowout.

Source: www.upstreamonline.com

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