Greenpeace occupy Greenland drilling rig

  • 14 years ago

Protesters from environmental group Greenpeace boarded a drilling rig operated by UK oil explorer Cairn Energy to try to stall development of what the oil industry hopes will become a major new producing centre.

Greenpeace said four campaigners climbed aboard the Stena Don, a semi-submersible rig, which has been drilling the Alpha prospect in the Sigguk block, 175 km off West Greenland.

The Greenpeace activists suspended themselves in tents from the rig and have enough provisions for days, said spokesman Ben Stewart, on Greenpeace ship the Esperanza.

Greenland police said that the activists remained suspended by their climbing gear below the rig in the late afternoon.

"Like any criminal, they can be expected to arrested and prosecuted," said Morten Nielsen, deputy chief of police in Greenland. He declined to give any details about when or how that would happen.

Cairn has said Greenland could have billions of barrels of reserves but the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has raised fears about the risks of offshore drilling.

Greenland's harsh climate and remoteness would make capping a leak and cleaning up spilt oil especially difficult. Cairn declined to comment.

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