Norway Gov't Rejects Dumping of Gas Platform

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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               GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT REJECTS ESSO BID TO DUMP 
NORTH SEA PLATFORM
     
OSLO, 8 March 1996 (GP) Greenpeace today applauded the
Norwegian  Government's decision to reject oil company Esso's
proposal to dump the  7000 tonne steel jacket of its Odin
platform into the North Sea.  
 
The Norwegian Government has recognised the environmental and 
economic benefits of bringing the Odin gas platform on land,
creating 200  jobs and saving energy and materials. 
 
Dr Helen Wallace, Greenpeace Scientist, said, " The UK
Government,  which still sees sea dumping as an acceptable
option, is now  internationally isolated. The Government is
dragging its feet and failing to  support employment in the UK
decommissioning industry. It should take a  tougher line with
the oil and gas industry and ban it from using the sea as a 
scrap yard."
 
The UK should sign the Oslo Commission's ban on dumping of all
offshore  installations [1] and bring environmental
responsibility and economic  benefits to the UK sector of the
North Sea.
 
Contact: 
 
Helen Wallace, Greenpeace UK, 0171-354-5100
or Cindy Baxter, Greenpeace Communications, 0171-833-0600
          
[1] The Oslo Paris Commission last June adopted a ban on the
dumping of  offshore installations in the North East Atlantic,
"....due to the fact that the 
disposal at sea of decommissioned offshore installations
cannot be  considered to be a sustainable practice which takes
into account the  precautionary approach..."
     
Norway and the UK have both lodged objections to this ban,
arguing that  the platforms should be looked at on a case by
case basis.

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