WASHINGTON - February 12 - Reacting to the news that Shell's two Arctic oil drilling rigs are being hauled to dry dock for repairs, Ben Ayliffe, head of Arctic oil at Greenpeace International, said:

"After just one difficult year of limited operations off Alaska, the towing of both of Shell's rusting drill rigs to Asia for repairs shows they're simply not up to the task of operating in the extreme, hostile waters of the Arctic.

"This latest setback for Shell could prove fatal to the company's plans to explore for Arctic oil this summer. Getting major repairs done, as well as sailing to Asia and back, in time to drill in the narrow operational window is a very tall order. Shell made a mess of its operations last year and there's every likelihood it will do the same this year.

"The costs for Shell's Arctic oil programme continue to spiral and it remains to be seen just how long investors will idly sit by and allow the company to keep pouring money down an Arctic black hole. Shell owes it to its investors to stop delaying the inevitable and pull the plug on this Arctic drilling fiasco now."