CounterSpill

A Shell Oil offshore drilling rig ran aground in southern Alaska Monday, marking another in a long series of setbacks for the company's Arctic drilling development.

The Kulluk rig was on its way to maintenance in Puget Sound, Wash. when a severe storm hit and caused it to separate from a tow line.

As of Wednesday morning, there are no reports of spillage. The rig currently carries over 150,000 gallons of diesel fuel and other oil products.

Both Shell and Total SA have announced a pause in drilling for crude oil in the Arctic. 

Christophe de Margerie, chief executive officer of Total SA, recently commented that the threat of a spill was too risky for the image of their company. 

"Oil on Greenland would be a disaster. A leak would do too much damage to the image of the company," he told the Financial Times.