Polar Pioneer Returns to Port Angeles
The Polar Pioneer oil rig arrived in Port Angeles on Wednesday. Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said Port Angeles was an “excellent location for load-out” before the drilling season and remains fit for that purpose.
The 400-foot tall rig is expected to spend a “handful of weeks” at the port for offloading, he said. “Its next destination has not been determined.”
Its final destination hasn't been determined yet. Due to legal wrangling and protests in Seattle, Shell Oil is sending the Polar Pioneer here for offloading instead of Seattle.
In September, Shell announced it would cease its explorations in the Arctic for the "foreseeable future" when a well failed to produce the expected results.
The drilling rig was greeted by protesters in Port Angeles and Seattle during the spring and early summer while the company prepped for its trip north.