Greenpeace activists arrested after Barents Sea protest by Daniel J. Graeber Washington (UPI) Aug 18, 2017 Activists from the environmental group Greenpeace said they were able to disrupt operations at a Statoil rig drilling for oil in the Barents Sea. A handful of Greenpeace activists left the Arctic Sunrise protest vessel on inflatable boats and kayaks to protest against drilling above the Arctic Circle. The group targeted a Statoil operation at its Korpfjell well, which the environmental group said was the northernmost drilling target to date. "The activists halted the operation of the rig, and after several hours of demanding an end to the drilling in the Arctic, the Norwegian Coast Guard interfered with the peaceful protest, arresting the Arctic Sunrise ship, the activists and crew members," the advocacy group said in a statement. Statoil moved the Songa Enabler rig to the Korpfjell prospect after making a minor gas discovery near the Hoop area in the Barents Sea early last week. The Norwegian branch of Greenpeace last year joined regional advocate group Nature and Youth in a lawsuit that said decisions to open up the Arctic waters of the Barents Sea to energy companies violated the Paris climate agreement and national laws. Oslo opened up parts of the Barents Sea during its 23rd licensing round. Article 112 of the country's constitution states that all citizens have a right to expect that natural resources be used in such a way as to preserve natural surroundings. The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy responded to the legal claim by saying the licensing round was undertaken in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. When Greenpeace used the same protest vessel against Russian energy company Gazprom, the Kremlin said the action "had the appearance of extremist activity." The environmental group claimed victory, however, when Statoil ended a campaign in the Hoop reserve area in the Arctic waters of the Barents Sea. The Hoop reserve area is near Bear Island, a unique island ecosystem that Greenpeace said would be spoiled should a spill occur in the area. Elsewhere, Greenpeace said it planned a protest Friday against JP Morgan Chase in Seattle, calling on the bank to divest from Canadian oil pipeline projects.
Washington (UPI) Aug 17, 2017 The largest lease sale in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and the first under President Trump's administration, generated mixed results for high bids and coverage. The first lease covering the entire southern coastal region, save for protected areas, generated $121 million in high bids for 90 tracts covering nearly 510,000 acres. The U.S. Interior Department said the results of lease underscor ... read more Related Links All About Oil and Gas News at OilGasDaily.com
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |