Shell Stymied in 2012 Arctic Oil Quest Saying that a spill response dome aboard a vessel has been damaged, Shell announced Monday that it would defer its plan to drill for oil in the Arctic off the Alaskan coast this year. In seeking approval to drill, the company fought a long battle against environmentalists and others who say that drilling in the icy region is too risky. In a statement, Greenpeace claimed vindication and called Shell's high-stakes program a "monumentally reckless gamble." But the company says it will press on and seek a safety permit for the vessel next year.