Shell began work on its planned well in the Chukchi Sea, about 90 miles off the Alaskan North Slope, on Sunday.

CNN: Ice floe halts Shell's new Arctic well

The decision to pause drilling for oil in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off Alaska was widely expected, following a catalogue of problems last year.

BBC: Shell suspends Arctic drilling for 2013

But this latest fiasco in a long line of mishaps further underscores the risks of exploring for oil in the Arctic Chukchi and Beaufort seas.

FORBES: Why Shell Should Just Quit Its Alaska Drilling Fiasco