ESCALATION OF GREENPEACE OCCUPATION OF STENA DEE OIL PLATFORM
15 August 1997
Four Greenpeace climbers tonight scaled 15 metre high anchor chains to establish another base camp on the Stena Dee oil drilling platform in the Atlantic Frontier. It marks an escalation of Greenpeace's campaign against new oil exploration because of the risk it poses to the climate.
After landing in three Greenpeace inflatables, the campaigners used climbing equipment to get into position high up in the eaves of the floating platform. They carried food and supplies, as well as a tarpaulin to create a makeshift shelter. Once the camp is established , two climbers will remain for the night and two will return to MV Greenpeace.
The escalation comes on the sixth day of the Greenpeace occupation by three other Greenpeace activists in a solar survival capsule strapped to one of the legs of the platform. After Stena Dee personnel lowered the platform earlier today the capsule is now positioned only six metres above the water, within reach of large waves and with Force 7 or 8 gales predicted.
Greenpeace activists aim to stop the Stena Dee progressing towards the BP Foinaven oil field, now only five miles away. Whenever the oil platform attempts to move Greenpeace swimmers take to the water and block its path - sometimes for several hours at a time.
" Now we have seven campaigners in all on board the platform. We want to make it as difficult as possible for them to get us off, " said Liz Pratt, Greenpeace campaigner aboard the support vessel, MV Greenpeace positioned alongside. " If this is what it takes to protect the climate, then we will do it."
" If we burn all the known oil reserves in the world there will be irreversible climate change, so why is BP drilling for more oil? Future generations will suffer unless we get politicians and oil companies to listen to what we are saying."
When the crew of BP's ship, the Grampian Frontier, spotted Greenpeace putting inflatables in the water they quickly followed suit by lowering two inflatables of their own. An incident occurred when the engine of one of the BP inflatables was started before it touched the water, when it was being lowered in close proximity to a Greenpeace inflatable. During the incident the Greenpeace inflatable sustained a 4" gash in its tubing on one side.
Greenpeace has made it clear in its correspondence with BP that its occupation of the Stena Dee will cease if the oil company give assurances that it will agree to halt developments at the Foinaven field pending a meeting between Greenpeace and BP already scheduled for 1 September.
The escalation of the Stena Dee occupation comes just as Greenpeace activists have begun campaigning against oil exploration in the Arctic Frontier, in Alaska. Activists have been taking action against the Arco oil rig. Meanwhile in Hamburg, Greenpeace activists protested outside BP's German headquarters.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Greenpeace Press Office on +44 (0)171-865 8255/6/7/8
Notes to Correspondents
1. Video footage and stills of the latest escalation are available. Contact 01 399 1133 Pager No 787 076 for details.
2. Briefing notes about the Foinaven oil field are also available.
3. The four climbers comprise two German men, one German woman and one British man. The solar survival capsule is being occupied by three activists, including a British man and woman, and a Finnish man.