ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Shell Oil’s flotilla of Arctic Ocean vessels is heading for warmer waters.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC announced that it concluded exploratory drilling on Wednesday, its mandatory cutoff date before winter. It completed preliminary drilling at one well at the Burger-A Prospect 70 miles offshore in the Chukchi Sea and one at the Sivulliq Prospect 18 miles offshore in the Beaufort Sea.