Tanners today

Kodiak's little Tanner crab fishery is scheduled to begin at noon today.

The fishery has an unusual wrinkle this year, what with Shell's recently rescued offshore drilling rig, the Kulluk, anchored up in Kiliuda Bay on Kodiak's eastern side.

Nothing has spilled from the rig, but state and Coast Guard officials are being extra cautious to make sure the Kulluk and various response vessels don't cause a problem for the crabbers.

Hence, the hulking rig will stay put in inner Kiliuda Bay for the duration of the fishery.

Furthermore...

"A claims process has been established for any crab fishermen losses that occur as a result of the Kulluk's presence," says this update from the unified command set up to deal with the Kulluk grounding and salvage operation.

The catch quota for Tanner crab is a modest 660,000 pounds for the Kodiak District.

Refloated!

Shell's offshore drilling barge, the Kulluk, has been refloated.

The barge had been aground on Sitkalidak Island since New Year's Eve after getting away from tow boats in heavy seas.

Kulluk recovery outlined

The Aiviq — can she do it? USCG photo

Deckboss just listened in on a unified command press conference on the Kulluk situation.

Here are the key points:

• An effort to tow the grounded drilling platform off the beach will be attempted soon. Spokesmen for Shell and the Coast Guard said timing will depend on weather, tides and having all the necessary equipment in place.

• The main tow vessel will be the Aiviq, an enormous oil industry workboat whose engines failed while towing the Kulluk across the North Pacific in late December, precipitating the grounding.

• Assuming the Kulluk can be pulled from the beach — officials talked like this is a given — the rig will be towed about 30 miles to a "place of refuge," Kodiak's Kiliuda Bay, for closer inspection. Here's an animation of the towing plan.

• The officials said no fuel leaks have been detected from the Kulluk, and the Shell man said the platform is "sound and fit to tow."

Well, let's wish 'em luck with this plan.

To the rescue

Shell, headquartered in the Netherlands, naturally plans to use a Dutch outfit, Smit Salvage, to try to retrieve that behemoth drilling platform stranded at Kodiak Island.

The only question now is whether the rig will come off the beach whole, or in pieces.

Here is Shell's statement on the grounding.

Hard aground

Any hope for the Kulluk? USCG photo

 

Here's another view of Shell's drilling platform, the Kulluk, beached off Kodiak.

And here's a map of the platform's location.

The latest word from the unified command is the vessel remains stable, with no sign of a hull breach.

Not looking good

The U.S. Coast Guard took this shot today of Shell's mobile offshore drilling platform, the Kulluk, aground on remote Sitkalidak Island on the southeast side of Kodiak Island. Shell used the platform in drilling operations this summer in the Arctic Ocean. A tug was towing the nonmotorized rig to Seattle for maintenance when it experienced engine and towline problems in tough weather. A huge emergency response and salvage effort is under way, but the Kulluk could be doomed. Shell had spent $292 million upgrading the platform, which was evacuated well before the grounding. USCG photo

Disastrous turn of events

Shell's mobile offshore drilling platform, the Kulluk, is now reported aground off Kodiak Island.

Here's the update from the unified command.

Big trouble off Kodiak

The drilling platform Kulluk and two tugs. USCG photo

Shell and the U.S. Coast Guard are fighting like crazy to save a mobile offshore drilling platform that's broken free from tow boats in a stormy Gulf of Alaska south of Kodiak Island.

Responders are thinking about taking the platform, if they can regain control of it, to safe anchorage in Marmot Bay.

Here's a state situation report issued at 5 p.m.

And here's a unified command website with updates, video and photos.