USCG anticipates Kulluk report early ’14

The U.S. Coast Guard does not anticipate publishing until early 2014 its completed report from its investigation into the grounding of the Kulluk, Shell’s Arctic floating drilling platform, Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow of the Coast Guard told Petroleum News Aug. 14.

The Coast Guard had previously indicated that it would complete its incident report on Aug. 12. But this date relates to an internal report prepared by Cmdr. Josh McTaggart, the investigating officer for the investigation, Wadlow said. McTaggart, having completed in June the gathering of testimony relating to the grounding incident, has since requested and received approval for a deadline of Aug. 19 for that internal report, Wadlow said.

After completion, the internal report will go to Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard 17th District, for his review, Wadlow said. Having completed his review, Ostebo will append his comments to the report, which he will then forward to Coast Guard headquarters. In the final phase of the investigation process, headquarters will review McTaggart’s report and Ostebo’s comments before publishing a final report that will be available to the public, Wadlow said. It is that public report that the Coast Guard anticipates completing early next year.

The Kulluk ran aground On Dec. 31 during a severe storm in the Gulf of Alaska while under tow from Dutch Harbor to the U.S. West Coast for maintenance. Shell had been using the vessel for exploration drilling in the Beaufort Sea during the 2013 Arctic open water season.

—Alan Bailey