PORT ANGELES — During their brief stay in Port Angles, crew members attached to the Polar Pioneer funneled their dollars into the local economy.
Local companies “benefitted greatly from a relatively short period of time,” Ken O’Hollaren, Port of Port Angeles executive director, said Monday during the Chamber Luncheon at Red Lion Inn.
If the rig comes back, it will be welcomed by port officials, he said.
The 355-foot-tall oil rig was at anchor in Port Angeles Harbor from April 17 to May 14.
The Polar Pioneer is one of two oil rigs being leased from Transocean by Royal Dutch Shell, the parent company of Shell Oil Co., and is being towed to the Chukchi Sea off Alaska’s northern shore where it is scheduled to begin exploratory drilling this month.
The second rig, the Noble Discoverer, did not stop here.
The exact amount of money generated directly and indirectly by the presence of the Polar Pioneer will not be known for at least a month.
“Right now, most of the data we have gathered is anecdotal,” O’Hollaren said.
“We are going to wait until the [state] Department of Revenue has the second quarter statistics out on sales tax revenue, and we will see what kind of a bump it gives in this area.”
O’Hollaren said it wouldn’t surprise him if data shows the vessel helped generate more than $1 million for the local economy.
If the rig returns in the future, O’Hollaren suspects local businesses would continue to reap the rewards of its presence in the harbor.
“We worked with Shell and Transocean leading up the arrival of that vessel,” he said.
“They are extremely complimentary and pleased with the reception they had here in Port Angeles to the point where they have started — we believe — an investigation into the feasibility of perhaps having them come back here.”
That may be due to the backlash the rig’s presence has caused in Seattle, where it is slated to be parked during the winter months when conditions prevent drilling in the Chukchi Sea.
“It obviously carries with it some controversy,” O’Hollaren said. “Not everyone is in favor of offshore drilling.”
During the Polar Pioneer’s stay in Port Angeles and Seattle, activists made clear their opposition to drilling in the Arctic.
They argued there are no resources available to respond to a major spill in the Chukchi Sea.
And burning the oil Shell proposes to take from the Arctic could push the planet past the tipping point on climate change and worsen the acidification of oceans, they say.
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray — citing a Seattle Department of Planning and Development code interpretation — said May 4 that the Port of Seattle must apply for a new permit before it can host the rig at Terminal 5.
The Port of Seattle decided earlier this year to grant a two-year, $13 million lease for terminal space to Foss Maritime.
Foss Maritime is a Seattle-based company working with Shell to prepare its fleet for an expedition to the Arctic.
“They certainly have some issues in Seattle,” O’Hollaren said.
“It is very unclear as to whether or not those permit issues are going to get resolved.”
And if Seattle closes the door to Shell, the Port of Port Angeles will be waiting with arms wide open, he added.
“The rig will have to overwinter somewhere . . . so that makes it an even better opportunity for us.”
With public support, “we can make the case that we have the infrastructure,” he continued.
“If they get an anchoring permit here” through the Coast Guard, “we will provide the community infrastructure via the port to make that work well, which is what we heard from them when they were here briefly.”
While the enormous vessel was in Port Angeles Harbor, about 150 crew members were quartered at Red Lion Hotel, said General Manager Robert Utz.
In addition to providing income for the hotel during the offseason, the workers also patronized local eateries and area waterfront businesses.
Even specialty stores saw an increase in customers, Eric Neurath, a Port Angeles photographer, noted during the luncheon.
“A couple of the artists have gotten a little enterprising and created some artwork using images of the drilling rig,” and the rig workers “purchased a substantial amount,” he said.
“I don’t know the exact dollar amount, but it was substantial. It wasn’t something you’d really ever think about when you are thinking of an economic impact, but the people associated” with the oil rig “do have money, and when they see something they like” they purchase it.
Even “our barbershops were full,” added Port Angeles Councilwoman Cheri Kidd.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
