PRESS RELEASE
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GREENPEACE CATCHES SHELL DUMPING OIL ON ANNIVERSARY OF ITS BRENT SPAR VICTORY - CALLS FOR PLATFORM DUMPING BAN.
NORTH SEA, 20th JUNE 1996
Just one day before the anniversary of Shell Oil Company's decision not to dump its Brent Spar oil platform at sea, Greenpeace has discovered two oil spills emanating from Amoco and Shell company platforms.
The new Greenpeace campaign ship, Arctic Sunrise, discovered the oil slicks while patrolling the waters near platforms which may soon themselves be destined for ocean dumping.
Shell initially down-played the oil spill, claiming it was only 9.6 litres of oil that washed overboard. However after Greenpeace measured the slick as being 300 metres wide and four kilometres long, they were forced to admit their mistake and issue a news release on 19 June revising the figure to "an upper estimate of 300 litres."
"These slicks are part of the thousands of tonnes of routine or accidental discharges of oil which take place each year," said Greenpeace Executive Director Thilo Bode. "They illustrate the offshore oil industry's continuing disregard for the marine environment which became so painfully obvious last year." Greenpeace has escalated its campaign this year to ensure that the political decision taken at the Oslo Paris (OSPAR) Convention last year to ultimately ban the dumping of offshore rigs is achieved.
Norway and the United Kingdom were the only countries in the region to fail to commit to adopting the ban in last year's decision. During this week's OSPAR meeting taking place in Oslo, UK and Norway continue to stand alone against the strong wishes of all of the 11 other nations bordering the North-East Atlantic for a full ban.
"Until ocean dumping is completely prohibited, the oil and gas industry will continue to look fondly at the seas as their own private dustbin," said Greenpeace Campaigner Rick Le Coyte. "Yet it is now obvious to all but the most stubborn, and irresponsible polluters that land decommissioning is the vastly preferable option from an environmental and economic viewpoint."
There are over 400 rigs in the North Sea with about 75 coming e to the end of their working lives in the next ten years. Greenpeace demands that they all be recycled on land.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rick Le Coyte in on: 0171 -865 8100
Christian Bussau aboard the Arctic Sunrise on: 00-871-62-44-53510 ($10 per minute)