Inuvik/Tuktoyaktuk (Jan 22/07) - Residents interested in the Kulluk rig refurbishment project are invited to two public meetings next week, to ask questions and raise concerns.

Shell Exploration and Production Inc. of Houston, Texas, will be hosting the meetings at Inuvik's Ingamo Hall on Jan. 23, and the next day in Tuktoyaktuk at Kitty Hall.

Both meetings start at 7 p.m., and it is not required to register in advance.

Peter S. Jalkotzy, who is principal consultant for Environmental Practice on the Kulluk project, said it's important people attend the meeting.

"Essentially it's to lay out what we'd like to accomplish," he said. "If people have any concerns of conflicts such as aircraft overflights, the degree of communication and interaction in the project, the potential for spills, any of that, we'd like to hear it. We want to make sure there are no unwelcome impacts," he said.

The Kulluk rig currently sits in McKinley Bay 80 kilometres east of Tuktoyaktuk, and is being refurbished for a move to Alaska next summer.

It was purchased by Royal Dutch Shell PLC last year for an undisclosed sum believed to be more than $50 million.