FOREST OIL
Coalition Seeks to Block Alaska Oil, Gas Permit
A coalition of Native tribal governments, commercial fisherman and environmentalists has filed an administrative appeal to block a wastewater discharge permit for oil and gas operators in southern Alaska's Cook Inlet, Reuters reported. The appeal, filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, challenges a general permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency that allows established oil and gas production facilities to discharge wastes directly into the inlet's marine waters. The new permit, scheduled to go into effect on July 2, covers 16 offshore oil and gas platforms and three onshore facilities in Cook Inlet, said Dianne Soderlund, communications coordinator for EPA's Alaska oil and gas section. It will also cover any exploration, development and production facilities that are erected in the inlet in the next five years. Companies with oil and gas produced from platforms covered by the new wastewater permit are Chevron, Marathon Oil, Unocal, Forest Oil and XTO Energy, according to state reports. Source: Reuters
ENSCO Jackup Rig Damaged in Gas Blowout, Fire
ENSCO International Incorporated and Forest Oil Corporation reported that one of ENSCO’s jackup rigs sustained extensive damage while operating in the Gulf of Mexico. ENSCO 51 was on location in Eugene Island Block 273 drilling a development well over a platform (the “A” platform) for its customer, Forest, the operator of the block. Eugene Island Block 273 is located approximately 75 miles offshore. Shortly after midnight on Thursday, March 1
Forest Promoted to Senior VP at Matson
Ronald J. Forest has been promoted to senior vice president of Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (Matson). The appointment was approved yesterday by the company’s Board of Directors and announced by Matson President and CEO James S. Andrasick. Forest’s career in the industry spans 25 years and has included eight years with Matson, eight years with APL and nine years with United States Lines. His Matson career began in 1995 as operations manager, Southern California
Finnlines Buys 16.6% Of Transfennica
Finnlines said it had bought forest industry group Stora Enso's 16.6 percent stake in shipping company Transfennica for an undisclosed sum. Finnlines said it and its subsidiaries at the same time had made a long-term cooperation agreement with Stora Enso on the transportation of its paper products from Finland to the rest of Europe. Transfennica is a shipping company owned by the Finnish paper industry and operates some 20 RoRo vessels, it said
Gorthon Lines sells Forest Product Carrier
Gorthon Shipping International Bermuda, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gorthon Lines AB, has sold the forest product carrier Humber Arm on private terms, after a crankshaft breakdown in the main engine. The vessel was built by Schichau Unterweser AG in 1976 and has a DWT of 7650 mton. The vessel was delivered to the new owners on July 6, 2004. For further information please contact CEO Lars Petersson, phn +46-42 172700.
Panama Canal Emission Reduction Plan
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to implement plan for reducing carbon emissions in the Canal Watershed ACP has signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement with the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) and the German Agency for International Cooperation to apply mechanisms that will reduce emissions in the Canal Watershed. The agreement aims to establish the terms and conditions for the design and implementation of a pilot program in the Panama Canal Watershed
Supreme Court Finalizes Decision on Marine Submerged Lands
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a final decree regarding Alaska's assertion of ownership of certain marine submerged lands in the southeast portion of the state. The court finalized its earlier ruling that the federal government retained ownership of those portions of the Alexander Archipelago more than three geographical (nautical) miles from shore because those waters do not constitute historic inland waters. The federal government retained ownership of those portions of North Bay
Industry Coalition Supports Government’s Pilotage Reform
The Chamber of Marine Commerce (CMC) sent a letter to the Government of Canada, co-signed by fourteen leading industry associations, supporting government changes to Canada’s system of marine pilotage. The coalition of associations – referred to as Canada’s Marine Shipper and Manufacturing Industry Stakeholders – includes: • Hon. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce • Michel Kelly-Gagnon, President, Conseil du Patronat du Québec
Zodiac Debuts Bulletproof System For Inflatable CRRC
Zodiac last month unveiled Armorflate (patent pending), a system it is touting as the world's first bullet-resistant system for Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC). The innovative product, undoubtedly created to fulfill the burgeoning need for combat and security craft in the wake of previous terrorist attacks, was unvelied at the 2002 Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC), held at Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, in Norfolk, Va.
This Day in Naval History
1918 - Sailors fire first of the five railroad batteries at Tergnier, a German rail head in the Comeigne Forest. These 14-inch, 50-caliber guns were originally designed for battleships. 1939 - Navy begins formation of neutrality patrol for Atlantic Ocean. 1940 - First destroyers transferred to Great Britain at Halifax, Nova Scotia, under "Destroyers for Bases" agreement. 1944 - USS Independence (CVL 22) begins use of specially trained air group for night work
North American Oil Supply Shocks Markets
IEA’s Medium-Term Oil Market Report sees companies overhauling global investment strategies; meanwhile, surge in non-OECD refining capacity shakes up product market The supply shock created by a surge in North American oil production will be as transformative to the market over the next
Shipwrecks Pose US Sea Pollution Threat
New NOAA report presented to the US Coast Guard examines national oil pollution threat from shipwrecks in US waters. The report finds that 36 sunken vessels scattered across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat to the nation's coastal marine resources
Arctic Council Sign Oil Spill Agreement
At their recent meeting the circumpolar states of the Arctic Council have agreed to tackle oil spill disasters as a team. The Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic—the Council’s second ever binding agreement—was signed by all
NOAA Report Examines Shipwreck Oil Pollution Threat
NOAA presented to the U.S. Coast Guard today a new report that finds that 36 sunken vessels scattered across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat to the nation’s coastal marine resources. Of those, 17 were recommended for further assessment and potential removal of both fuel
New Dutch Waterway Bunker Station
The Gorinchem Ferry Service & Damen Shipyards Group collaborate to install a modular pontoon with a jetty for the bunker station. “What started as a mooring pontoon with a small gas oil tank for the ferry service has expanded into a complete bunker station”, says Jeroen van Woerkum
Castrol Challenges Scavenge Drain Oil Analysis Methodology
Concerns over corrosive wear risk in cross-head engines led Castrol Marine to question the rigour of some widely used scavenge drain oil analysis (SDA ) techniques. Factors influencing scavenge drain oil characteristics include fuel sulphur level, cylinder oil BN level
Why Tankship Trade to U.S. is in LImbo
Increasingly lower oil demand in the U.S. prompts tankship operators to look towards the China market. According to a BIMCO review, the tanker market is doing full steam ahead – not in relation to demand, earnings or actual operating speed
By the Numbers: Oil Spill Response
The Coast Guard’s Incident Specific Preparedness Review (ISPR) – January 2011 An explosion aboard the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Deepwater Horizon on April 20, 2010 set off a chain of events that led to its sinking and subsequent oil spill
Oils and Oil Analysis: What You Need to Know
In any given lubricant (such as engine oil, transmission fluid or gear oil), there are three main factors that influence the “useful life” of the lubricant: Viscosity Stability, Oxidation, and Contamination. While it is important to understand how these factors affect oil life
Weakness Found with Oil Spill Response Equipment
Parat Halvorsen AS gathered key personnel from the maritime industry to a technical review and discussion of tank heating solutions for supply vessels with NOFO notation. Technical and operational persons from shipyards, shipowners
Innovation Driven by Demand - Oil Spill Response
Oil spill equipment manufacturer Elastec brings new and sophisticated tools to a market in need of better, faster, more efficient and environmentally sound tactics. Just what the doctor ordered. Elastec/American Marine may well be the largest manufacturer of oil spill and environmental equipment
Weizhou 6-12 Oil Field Starts Production
CNOOC Limited announced that Weizhou 6-12 oil field has recently commenced production. Weizhou 6-12 oil field is located in Beibu Gulf Basin in the north part of the South China Sea with an average water depth of about 29.2 meters. The project has 10 producing wells and is expected to hit its
Van Heck Launches “Green and Easy Oil Recovery”
Van Heck revealed its newest world premiere, a complete pump system that enables the controlled, contained, fast oil recovery after incorrect or off-spec fueling and in the event of grounding or calamity at sea. The pump, named Sea Trophy, ensures a fast
Steam Beats Hot Water to Keep Heavy Oil Viscous
Tests by Parat Halvorsen on oil spill response equipment (OSR) for offshore supply vessels reveal significant deficiencies with systems using hot water coils. Norway's Parat Halvorsen undertook a series of trials after a number of lower cost hot water coil alternatives came on the market the
HII Bolster Government and Customer Relations Team
Huntington Ingalls Industries made two appointments to its government and customer relations leadership team. Carolyn E. Apostolou has been named vice president for legislative affairs (Senate), and Vice Adm. John "Jay" Donnelly (U.S. Navy, Ret