Following the announcement, last week, by oil and gas giant Total that it has “demobilised its Deepsea Stavanger drill rig along with all support vessels, after concluding its drilling activities on the exploration well Luiperd-1X in Block 11B/12B on 23 November 2020”, the Green Connection’s Neville Van Rooy says he is concerned about who will be held responsible for any … [Read more...]
Life, the Sea and Big Oil
When I learned about the oil giant BP’s plan to drill off the coast of my home, my heart felt like it dropped out of my chest. As I write this the West Aquarius rig is well on its way to the Nova Scotian Shelf. By the time this is published, it might have already arrived. My thoughts went immediately to those oil sullied shorelines in the Gulf of Mexico, and to the fishermen … [Read more...]
U.S. companies publicly support climate action, privately fund deniers
Companies like Pepsi, DuPont, and Google might say that they support climate action, but in reality, they are funding lawmakers opposed to President Obama’s climate agenda, according to a Reuters report released Tuesday morning. Over the last year, more than 150 companies have signed on to the “American Business Act on Climate Pledge,” a commitment created by Obama to … [Read more...]
Fossil fuel companies in hot water over decades of deception
Major fossil fuel companies have known for decades that their products—oil, natural gas, and coal—cause global warming. Their own scientists told them so more than 30 years ago. In response, they decided to deceive shareholders, politicians, and the public—you!—about the facts and risks of global warming. They repeatedly fought efforts to move the country away from fossil … [Read more...]
Scientists alarmed about ‘seismic blasting’ in the Arctic Ocean
Firing seismic airguns to find new oil reserves in the Arctic Ocean is ‘alarming’ and could seriously injure whales and other marine life, according to a new scientific review. The oil industry is increasingly looking towards the region as climate change melts large areas of Arctic sea ice. A Norwegian company operating off east Greenland recently began firing airguns that … [Read more...]
Shell moet antwoord oor hidrobreking – AfriForum
Die waghond vir burgerregte, AfriForum, is gekant teen en bekommerd oor die moontlike gevolge van skaliegasontginning in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie organisasie het ʼn brief aan RoyalDutch Shell en Shell (SA) gerig waarin die maatskappye uitgenooi is om met hulle in gesprek te tree oor verskeie vrae wat deur verteenwoordigers van gemeenskappe dwarsoor Suid-Afrika ingedien is, waarin … [Read more...]
Safe drilling in the far North “a fantasy”
Commenting on Monday's ruling by a federal judge in Anchorage that Shell's oil spill plans for drilling in Alaska's Beaufort and Chukchi seas don't violate environmental laws, Greenpeace International Arctic campaigner Ben Ayliffe said: "Even a cursory glance at Shell's oil spill response plans shows that the company could not deal with an accident in these remote and … [Read more...]
Shock and disappointment at SA’s fracking plans
What so many of us have been dreading, is now set to happen. The moratorium on exploration for shale gas has been lifted. “We find it both extraordinary and irresponsible that our government continues to pursue fossil fuel energy when South Africa has the best of renewable energy (RE) resources in the world,” Bishop Geoff Davies (pictured) from SAFCEI stated on hearing the … [Read more...]
Shell says oil spillage will not be recovered
While Shell previously asserted that it would be able to recover 90% of any oil spilled as a result of its planned Arctic oil drilling, they are now claiming that it is impossible to make such claims. According to Shell spokesperson Curtis Smith: "We say in our plan we expect to 'encounter' 90 percent of any discharge on site, very close to the drilling rig. We expect to … [Read more...]
Global shale gas moratoriums increase
“While our government is scrambling to produce a secret document on which this country may make a potentially irreversible decision on shale gas mining ‘fracking’, international sentiment is increasing against the technology. Fracking is banned, or under some form of moratorium or restriction in more than 140 places around the world.” These were the words of TKAG (Treasure … [Read more...]
Protest against fracking threatening water
“Fracking no, fracking never! Clean energy, now and forever!” chanted about 140 protestors from various communities in Cape Town, as they took to the street on Human Rights Day, to protest against plans that Royal Dutch Shell and other companies have to explore for shale gas in the Greater Karoo Basin. Earthlife Africa Cape Town staged the protest, to highlight the threat … [Read more...]
The fight against fracking in South Africa
Should you care whether or not South Africa is fracked? The Treasure Karoo Action Group (TKAG) believes you should and urges the country to take up their position in society in the fight against fracking. Fracking (Hydaulic fracturing) is banned or restricted in more than 90 places and 5 countries worldwide and has only been practiced in its current form in the Unites States … [Read more...]
Human Polar Bear goes head to head with Shell
This short speech was given on Friday night in Cape Town by Lewis Gordon Pugh OIG (a.k.a. the Human Polar Bear) about the proposed fracking for gas in the Karoo, by Shell. He received a sustained standing ovation! Ladies and gentlemen, thank for the opportunity to address you. My name is Lewis Pugh. This evening, I want to take you back to the early 1990's in this … [Read more...]
