Shell Abandons Controversial $7bn Drilling Exploration Off Alaska Coast

28 September 2015

 - Royal Dutch Shell will cease exploration in Arctic waters off Alaska’s coast after disappointing results from an exploratory well backed by billions in investment and years of work.

The announcement was a huge blow to Shell, which was counting on offshore drilling in Alaska to help it drive future revenue.

Environmentalists, however, had tried repeatedly to block the project and welcomed the news.

Shell has spent upward of $7billion (£4.6bn) on Arctic offshore exploration, including $2.1billion in 2008 for leases in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska’s northwest coast, where an exploratory well about 80 miles off shore was drilled to 6,800 feet but yielded disappointing results.