10 August 2011

NZ needs clean green jobs, not risky deepwater drilling

New Zealand needs clean, green jobs, not risky deepwater drilling, said the Green Party today.

David Clendon, Green Party spokesperson on resource management and offshore drilling was responding to news that Shell Oil will be partnering with OMV to undertake further exploration of potential deepwater drill sites in the Great South Basin.

“Deepwater drilling is a very risky business,” said Mr Clendon.

“The Great South Basin is so remote, and posed such technical difficulty and risk, that Exxon Mobil and Todd Oil surrendered their permits last year.

“Shell Oil just spilled more than 200 tonnes of oil into the North Sea, while OMV had a spill off the Kapiti Coast last year. There is no guarantee of safety in offshore drilling.”

Mr Clendon said neither the industry nor the Government have the capacity to deal with a serious deepwater leak like the Gulf disaster last year.

“There have been no significant technological advances in the safety of deepwater drilling in the last year,” said Mr Clendon.

“New Zealand’s pristine shores are too economically valuable and precious to risk.

“OMV and Shell announced today that the exploration rig to survey the Great South Basin is going to arrive fully staffed, so will offer no New Zealand jobs.

“Taranaki’s entire gas and oil industry directly employs fewer than 800 people.

“Our future prosperity depends on investment in clean, green technology and sustainable jobs.

“The Green Party is developing a plan to create tens of thousands of new green jobs. We don’t need to risk our shores for sake of a quick buck that will mostly benefit overseas oil companies,” said Mr Clendon.

Link to OMV announcing joint venture with Shell:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5453456/Shell-joins-southern-oil-hunt

Link to article about Shell Oil leak in the North Sea:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-14532112

Link to information about OMV spill off Kapiti Coast last year:
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ENDS

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