Shell Plans Russian Oil Exploration Project

Shell is planning a new exploration project in Russia and is considering three oil fields in Kalmykia in the Urals as possible sites, a source familiar with the plans said.

“The fields require deep drilling, over 6 kilometers,” the source said on the sidelines of an investment forum in Russia’s southern city of Sochi. Shell’s representative in Russia declined to comment. The source said Shell has yet to acquire licenses for the fields. A number of Russian oil companies have drilled the fields but failed to reach productive layers due to poor technology. Shell and the Kalmykia regional government last month signed a cooperation agreement allowing Shell to explore and develop oil resources. Shell has been trying to improve its position in Russia, after it had to cede control in major offshore project Sakhalin 2 to state-controlled Gazprom last year. Shell now owns 27.5 percent of Sakalin 2. Shell also owns half of West Siberia’s Salym project and plans to develop heavy oil deposits in the Volga region of Tatarstan jointly with mid-sized oil firm Tatneft.

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Lloyd’s Register says slow steaming wasteful, costly

Lloyd’s Register has dismissed the “slow steaming” concept, introduced to counteract skyrocketing fuel prices, as costly and harmful to the environment.

Containerships, declared the marine classification society, are built to operate at higher outputs and will need to be more closely monitored when slow steaming to avoid loss of engine performance, fuel quality, and lubrication oil consumption when moving below 20 knots. The large containership is designed for 25 knots at 70,000kW main engine power and will require just 50 per cent power when reduced to 20 knots, said Lloyds Register in a statement. As voyage times increase, fuel savings will be less, it said, adding that at slower speeds, NOx emissions also increase, resulting in waste engine capacity and higher capital costs from unused power potential. Also cited were losses in heat recovery systems, turbocharger and propeller efficiency as well as increased fouling of hulls and propellers. Lloyds Register also warned of increased compensatory fuel consumption of auxiliary engines to supplement loss of heat recovery capability, increased lubricating oil consumption and possible increased vibration levels risking safe, reliable ship operations.

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Kollakis-owned Chartworld Shipping ship attacked by Somali pirates

A Greek-owned ship with 19 sailors on board, most of them Filipinos, has been attacked by pirates off Somalia, the Greek merchant marine ministry.

The ministry said it did not have any further information on the attack, which happened 250 nautical miles off Somalia, or the fate of the crew of 17 Filipinos, one Chinese and one Ukrainian. The freighter Captain Stephanos, flying the Bahamas flag, belongs to the ChartWorld Shipping Corporation, and was carrying a cargo of coal, the ministry said. It was the second attack on Greek shipping in a week. Last Thursday the Centauri, with 25 Filipino sailors on board was attacked off Somalia by pirates in a speed boat, armed with three rocket launchers. France on Friday circulated a draft resolution in the United Nations Security Council urging states to deploy naval vessels and military aircraft to join in the fight against rampant piracy off the coast of lawless Somalia. The waters off Somalia, which has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years and is plagued by insecurity — are considered to be among the most dangerous in the world.

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