Pirtek hopes Shell Oil's controversial Polar Pioneer 'comes back every winter'

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Gregory Shideler got a call at 4:30 p.m. the Friday before U.S. Shell Oil's (NYSE: RDS.A) Polar Pioneer left Terminal 5 for the Chukchi Sea. The 300-foot-tall oil rig needed some hydraulic hoses replaced and Shideler's company, Pirtek Kent, was asked to do it.

Shideler, owner of Pirtek Kent - an independently owned franchise of the Australian company - and his 10 employees loaded up the vans and supplies and delivered the necessary hoses to the massive rig the next evening.

Pirtek made $26,000 on the sale. That's about 20 percent of monthly sales for the Kent-based office, which specializes in on-the-go repair and delivery of hydraulic hoses.

Most of Pirtek's sales fall in the $300-to-400 margin.

"For a company of our size," Shideler said, "it was a pretty big deal. We had a very good month (because of the Polar Pioneer)." The Polar Pioneer has thousands of this type of hose on board.

Pirtek replaced fewer than 20. Chances are, when the rig returns from the Chukchi Sea, likely accompanied by other Shell exploratory drilling vessels, more hydraulic hose updates will be part of its maintenance and repairs.

If the Polar Pioneer doesn't come back, Shideler said it would be bad for business.

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