ACCUSATIONS of piracy were leveled at environmental protesters yesterday, after they sabotaged a buoy being used in the hunt for new oil reserves in the Atlantic.

Greenpeace members took to the sea in inflatable dinghies to remove the buoy's satellite antenna, as part of an ongoing campaign which has also seen protesters spending more than a month living on inhospitable Rockall.

The buoy is a vital part of the seismic tests being carried out by the research vessel Pacific Horizon, on behalf of a group of oil companies headed by Texaco, hunting new reserves west of the Shetland Islands.

The ship trails threemile-long streamers fitted with seismic guns which fire shocks into the sea. Echoes of the shocks are picked up by microphones to reveal information about the geological make-up of the seabed.

Without the buoy, there is no way to keep the streamers in place, or to transmit the information which is picked up.

For four weeks, the ship MV Greenpeace has dogged the Pacific Horizon in a bid to disrupt its work.

Over the past few days, swimmers have been lowered into the chilly Atlantic ahead of the ship, forcing it to change direction and invalidating its tests, which depend on keeping a straight course.

A spokeswoman for Greenpeace said, "This campaign is all about climate change. The world knows that it cannot afford to burn even a quarter of existing fossil fuel reserves without causing climate change, so what is the point of looking for more? Someone, somewhere, has got to have the sense to stop looking for new reserves and start phasing out fossil fuels."

Today's incident, led to the Pacific Horizon giving up its tests for the day, she said.

"Our captain, Jon Castle, was accused of piracy, but we have no intention of permanently depriving the owners of the buoy's antenna. We have removed it temporarily."

Mr Castle said, "It is piracy and madness to continue searching for new oil that the climate can never afford to have burnt."

A Texaco spokesman said, "Texaco confirms that illegal action by the master and crew of the MV Greenpeace has resulted in a temporary cessation of the seismic survey on Tranche 36, approximately 60 miles north-west of Lewis. . .

"It is understood that members of the Greenpeace crew boarded the tail buoy, which was under tow at the end of the seismic string, removed radar and satellite navigation equipment, and attempted to overturn the buoy. The equipment was taken to the MV Greenpeace."

Texaco and its seismic contractor, Horizon, said they would continue to take every step to ensure that no personnel were exposed to risk.

Both companies urged Greenpeace to cease taking action which put them and the companies' personnel at risk.