Public should have been told about dangerous incident

green-party

Tue Apr 14 2015 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Public should have been told about dangerous incident

Tuesday, 14 April 2015, 9:01 am
Press Release: Green Party

13 April 2015

Public should have been told about dangerous deep sea drilling related incident

The revelation that oil company Anadarko dropped a massive platform into the ocean while in New Zealand drilling for deep sea oil last year is further proof that deep sea oil drilling just isn’t worth the risk, the Green Party said today.

New information revealed today shows that dangerous incidents in the oil and gas industry, as recorded by WorkSafe New Zealand, have also increased in the last year.

Among these incidents were fires, high pressure gas leaks, oil spills and Anadarko dropping a seven tonne riser platform into the ocean when it was in the Canterbury Basin to drill a deep sea exploratory well last year.

“The public has a right to know about accidents like this but instead we’re finding out a year later,” said Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth Hughes.

“Last year while the Government and Anadarko were trying to convince New Zealanders how safe deep sea oil drilling is when they were drilling some of our deepest ever exploratory wells, they were actually losing crucial pieces of equipment in the ocean.

“If these overseas oil companies can’t even keep track of crucial equipment while out there in rough conditions, how can we trust them to plug an oil spill over 1500 metres deep?

“The increase in dangerous incidents overall in the oil and gas industry shows that the risks of this industry are real.

“Instead of the Government giving away New Zealand lands and oceans to Big Oil, we should be putting more energy and resources into transitioning to clean, renewable energy.

“We don't need to risk our shores and climate for the sake of a quick buck that will mostly benefit overseas oil companies.

“We can create a smart, green economy by moving away from risky extractive activities like deep sea oil drilling, and towards renewable energy and sustainable jobs,” said Mr Hughes.

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