According to Petroleum News, Wainwright will act as a shallow-water logistics hub, serving Shell vessels involved in the company's offshore activities, while Barrow will be an aviation base, acting as a primary flight-crew change hub and as a base for Shell's search-and-rescue aircraft. Shell plans to drill two wells in the Beaufort Sea and up to three wells in the Chukchi Sea this year.
In addition, UIC subsidiary Umiaq will provide onshore contingency services, under a $15 million, five-year contract, while Shell is also continuing its 10-year contract with ASRC Energy Services -- Response Operations for offshore oil spill response. Umiaq will work in partnership with Alaska Clean Seas, the North Slope oil spill cooperative.
Conoco Phillips anticipates using Wainwright as a base for small vessels and as a helicopter base in its early exploration of the Chukchi Sea, a Conoco spokeswoman said. Conoco plans to drill in the Chukchi in 2012.
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