Russian tanker to carry fuel to Nome

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-russian-tanker-carry-fuel-nome-214525507.html

By MARY PEMBERTON | AP – 1 hr 33 mins ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The iced-in city of Nome on Alaska's western coast may be in luck: A Russian tanker that can plow through thick ice will try to deliver 1.5 million gallons of home heating fuel, gasoline and diesel fuel after a massive storm kept a barge from getting in before winter.

The vessel — which is certified to travel through ice 4 feet thick for long distances — delivers fuel to communities in the Russian Far East. The plan is for it to leave Russia this week and go to South Korea, where it will be loaded with fuel, and then travel to Nome, where it should arrive by late December.

If it can't make it into port, the tanker is equipped with a hose more than a mile for off-loading fuel.

It could save the 3,500 residents of the coastal city from a very costly winter, including predictions of $9-a-gallon gasoline if fuel had to be flown in.

Sitnasuak Native Corporation said Monday it signed a contract with Alaska-based Vitus Marine LLC to have the double-hulled Ice Classed Russian tanker, owned by Russian company Rimsco, deliver the petroleum products.

Sitnasuak board chairman Jason Evans said if the marine tanker succeeds, it will be the first time petroleum products have been delivered by sea in winter to a western Alaska community.

"It really came down to that one vessel that could possibly do the job. It just so happens it was available at the moment we needed it," Evans said.

Sitnasuak has between 800 and 1,000 customers in Nome and was looking at a $3 to $4 per gallon increase if fuel had to be flown in. He said Monday the tanker option more than halved the increase. Fuel prices are also lower than they were a couple of months ago, he said.

"The net result will be incrementally more, not substantially more," he said.

Sitnasuak looked at its options after a Delta Western Inc. barge was not able to make a delivery to Nome, leaving the city short of its winter fuel supplies.

If nothing was done, supplies of gasoline and diesel, needed to run ambulances and state equipment to maintain and plow roads, were expected to reach low levels within three months. Home heating fuel was in better supply in the city, which has one other major fuel supplier.

Sitnasuak, which has been in the fuel businesses for more than 20 years, said that flying fuel to Nome would be costly. It settled on the Russian, ice-class tanker delivery plan after determining it would be much less expensive and more practical than flying fuel.

The tanker recently traveled through about 5 feet of ice to reach communities in the Russian Far East, Evans said.

Evans said it worked closely with the Coast Guard to come up with a solution to the Nome fuel problem. He said Coast Guard personnel in Tokyo will go to Vladivostok, Russia, to clear the tanker for entrance into U.S. waters. The plan is to have the tanker go to Inchon, South Korea, and then to Nome in what could be a 20-day journey.

He said the Native corporation was asking the Coast Guard on Monday if the Healy, the nation's only functioning ice breaker, could remain in Alaska waters to make sure the tanker gets to Nome. The Healy is scheduled to return to Seattle just before Christmas.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Alaska along with the Coast Guard has been telling DC for years now that we need modern up to date ice breakers and now this is where it's at. The US wants to drill for oil in the Arctic and be a major player up there yet they can't even build ice breakers? Waite until they have a major spill up here during the middle of winter. It's going to make last years Gulf spill look like child's play.

[kytwell 179]

The alleged "greatest nation" in the world needs a former communist country to get needed supplies to our own citizens. This is change to believe in.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

The alleged "greatest nation" in the world needs a former communist country to get needed supplies to our own citizens. This is change to believe in.

The Coast Guard and Alaska Senators have been saying we needed ice breakers for years now (decades literally) and it's always fallen on deaf ears. I'm glad this Nome thing is making front page headline seeing how it might help to get someone to do something about it back in DC. If they want that oil out on the Arctic Ocean using platform drilling, then they better do something about it quick. As it is there is no way of containing a spill of any size up there with no way to get to it. No ice breakers, no Arctic oil from platforms.

[Captain Oates 911]

The alleged "greatest nation" in the world needs a former communist country to get needed supplies to our own citizens. This is change to believe in.

If you mean the US government - they have no responsibilities other than to kill and torture foreigners, whereas all commercial activities are carried out by 'job creators' from the private sector

The private sector is there to to supply the population with goods and services ? no, they are there no fleece the population when it makes commercial sense and to leave them ice-bound when it doesn't

You are on your own with the 'job creators'

Alaska is almost pumped out now anyway so it's time for everyone to leave and become greeters at Walmart which will save a lot of government subsidies.

It certainly isn't worth the job-creators building an ice-tanker - if it was, it would exist now.

[kytwell 179]

If you mean the US government - they have no responsibilities other than to kill and torture foreigners

You left out giving welfare to millionaires and people who live in million dollar homes. Yep!

[Captain Oates 911]

You left out giving welfare to millionaires and people who live in million dollar homes. Yep!

Tel Aviv eh ?

nuff said

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

If you mean the US government - they have no responsibilities other than to kill and torture foreigners, whereas all commercial activities are carried out by 'job creators' from the private sector

The private sector is there to to supply the population with goods and services ? no, they are there no fleece the population when it makes commercial sense and to leave them ice-bound when it doesn't

You are on your own with the 'job creators'

Alaska is almost pumped out now anyway so it's time for everyone to leave and become greeters at Walmart which will save a lot of government subsidies.

It certainly isn't worth the job-creators building an ice-tanker - if it was, it would exist now.

Alaska has plenty of oil. For every well up here that they tap into, they cap off five times that many. Once ANWR gets the go ahead and off shore drilling in the Arctic it's going to be like old times up here again.

[Captain Oates 911]

Alaska has plenty of oil. For every well up here that they tap into, they cap off five times that many. Once ANWR gets the go ahead and off shore drilling in the Arctic it's going to be like old times up here again.

Not what T bone Pickens says

He says its running down fast

I own BP worldwide which has operations in alaska and I think we should rip the place up and take everything to boost the dividends as quickly as possible.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Not what T bone Pickens says

He says its running down fast

I own BP worldwide which has operations in alaska and I think we should rip the place up and take everything to boost the dividends as quickly as possible.

I just watched this one news tonight...it's something we have been waiting to happen for the past decade. btw BP has the "old ARCO part of the slope, but if ANWR is opened up like it will be shortly then BP is going to be wading in oil. BP has the East side up there, and ConocoPhillips has the West side of the slope. Exxon, Shell,ENI, Pioneer, and Liberty are the small players up there. When the offshore drilling starts up then Shell will be making the big bucks also seeing how they already have an offshore drilling rig up there from last year that was held up on permits.

http://www.ktuu.com/news/conocophillips-bridge-project-get-feds-backing-ktuu-20111205,0,4730037.story

ConocoPhillips Bridge Project Get Feds Backing

By the Associated Press

Channel 2 News

1:07 p.m. AKST, December 5, 2011

JUNEAU, Alaska— ConocoPhillips Alaska is a step closer to building a bridge across the Colville River on Alaska's North Slope, which could lead to the first petroleum production within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

Two federal agencies announced Monday they reached an agreement with the company to back the first bridge across the Colville if additional conditions are met.

The deal with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service includes engineering changes and ConocoPhillips' agreement to allow other companies to use the same river crossing.

The Army Corps of Engineers had requested the agencies' review.

The Corps in February 2010 denied a permit for the bridge and said a buried pipe would be less environmentally damaging.

ConocoPhillips' development within NPRA would be an extension of its Alpine Field.

The "NPRA" on the left side of that map is what that bridge is for (Colville River). As it is only ice roads usable 6 mos out of the year and helicopters are the only way to get there and most of it has been locked up from drillers anyways. Now it's getting opened up. It's about the size of the state of Maine. See "ANWR" on the right side of that map? That's going to be next. Lots of oil up there...more oil to be tapped into than has so far to date since the slope first opened up. btw the natural gas line proposed to shoot from the slope down the middle of the state to Kenai is a go now also. They have a gas liquefying plant there (Kenai) that ships gas to the Orient. It's a great time to be an Alaskan.

Edited December 6, 2011 by Why_Me

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

The Coast Guard and Alaska Senators have been saying we needed ice breakers for years now (decades literally) and it's always fallen on deaf ears. I'm glad this Nome thing is making front page headline seeing how it might help to get someone to do something about it back in DC. If they want that oil out on the Arctic Ocean using platform drilling, then they better do something about it quick. As it is there is no way of containing a spill of any size up there with no way to get to it. No ice breakers, no Arctic oil from platforms.

USCGS POLAR SEA, FTW.

Edited December 6, 2011 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

USCGS POLAR SEA, FTW.

Now if we can only get three more of those so we have at least two on hand in case the other two get dry docked in Seattle for one reason or another we would have it made. They have to do something though and they have to do it ASAP. You can't be drilling for oil up on the Arctic without having a way to get to the platform during the winter months. That ocean up there is locked up in ice 7+ months out of the year.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Now if we can only get three more of those so we have at least two on hand in case the other two get dry docked in Seattle for one reason or another we would have it made. They have to do something though and they have to do it ASAP. You can't be drilling for oil up on the Arctic without having a way to get to the platform during the winter months. That ocean up there is locked up in ice 7+ months out of the year.

The POLAR STAR is being retrofitted but it won't be ready until 2013, when the POLAR SEA will be retrofitted.

[Captain Oates 911]

I just watched this one news tonight...it's something we have been waiting to happen for the past decade. btw BP has the "old ARCO part of the slope, but if ANWR is opened up like it will be shortly then BP is going to be wading in oil. BP has the East side up there, and ConocoPhillips has the West side of the slope. Exxon, Shell,ENI, Pioneer, and Liberty are the small players up there. When the offshore drilling starts up then Shell will be making the big bucks also seeing how they already have an offshore drilling rig up there from last year that was held up on permits.

[/size]

The "NPRA" on the left side of that map is what that bridge is for (Colville River). As it is only ice roads usable 6 mos out of the year and helicopters are the only way to get there and most of it has been locked up from drillers anyways. Now it's getting opened up. It's about the size of the state of Maine. See "ANWR" on the right side of that map? That's going to be next. Lots of oil up there...more oil to be tapped into than has so far to date since the slope first opened up. btw the natural gas line proposed to shoot from the slope down the middle of the state to Kenai is a go now also. They have a gas liquefying plant there (Kenai) that ships gas to the Orient. It's a great time to be an Alaskan.

Interesting - I just sold my Shell stock last week - I will have another look at them

Their problem has always been poor reserves so it would make a big difference

The stock is denominated in GBP but of course the sales will be in USD, so the exchange differences will be a wash

I reckon Obama will cruise the election against Gingrich as he has all his scandals in store and waiting to be wheeled out next year. Nancy should shut up until he is the candidate and she can see the whites of his eyes.

However Its a lot cheaper to despoil your own country to get oil rather than sends armies all over the globe to get the whip hand over it - as in Iraq - so ANWAR could be in the sights whoever wins the election. Money talks

I see Hillary has been in Burmah last week - which is also awash in oil and where BP was born

...and then there is Iran - Persian oil - BP exploited that for a long time...

When you look at all the places on CNN that the US is fiddling with, they all have one thing in common which is oil - except Afghanistan - but Afghanistan holds the key to all the oil in southern Russia and Persia

If the US can take all the Persian oil and Burmese oil them ANWAR might be put on hold - but the military cost in dollars is too great to make that a priority so ANWAR will be first

I feel sorry for the US Military because they are fed the line that they are fighting "To stop them coming here" when in reality its all about oil. I reckon a big percentage of them know that when they are talking quietly in their tents at night.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Interesting - I just sold my Shell stock last week - I will have another look at them

Their problem has always been poor reserves so it would make a big difference

The stock is denominated in GBP but of course the sales will be in USD, so the exchange differences will be a wash

I reckon Obama will cruise the election against Gingrich as he has all his scandals in store and waiting to be wheeled out next year. Nancy should shut up until he is the candidate and she can see the whites of his eyes.

However Its a lot cheaper to despoil your own country to get oil rather than sends armies all over the globe to get the whip hand over it - as in Iraq - so ANWAR could be in the sights whoever wins the election. Money talks

I see Hillary has been in Burmah last week - which is also awash in oil and where BP was born

...and then there is Iran - Persian oil - BP exploited that for a long time...

When you look at all the places on CNN that the US is fiddling with, they all have one thing in common which is oil - except Afghanistan - but Afghanistan holds the key to all the oil in southern Russia and Persia

If the US can take all the Persian oil and Burmese oil them ANWAR might be put on hold - but the military cost in dollars is too great to make that a priority so ANWAR will be first

I feel sorry for the US Military because they are fed the line that they are fighting "To stop them coming here" when in reality its all about oil. I reckon a big percentage of them know that when they are talking quietly in their tents at night.

As far as having a president that opens up land here for drilling...Obama is the way to go and here's why. When a republican tries to open up land here he gets shot down by democrats in the senate for bs reasons, but when Obama makes the suggestion then it's ok with the dems. Obama saw the writing on the wall and he knows we have to open up for drilling in order to save his ####### for next election by not only keeping gas prices down to a reasonable cost, but also by creating jobs. He's no dummy in that dept.

As far as Shell goes, they have had been shot down for the past three years due to permits and now they have the go ahead, but with this Nome thing making front page headlines chances are nothing is going to be done until they get an ice breaker or two up here. If you can't get to a leak, you can't cap it. BP and that fiasco last year didn't help much, and now BP just had another screw up in the North Sea. Of all the oil companies up here, BP is by far the shadiest of them all. No scruples when it comes to that bunch. They even bug the phones up on the slope in the work camps and have trigger words that set off a recorder.

And in the wars...ya Americans are stupid. Afghanistan is about a gas line being run from the Caspian to India. There's a thread on that from last year in the RUB forum. And as far as Iraq goes, gas is already being pumped from there through Turkey and into Europe via the Nabucco Line.