I've asked Shell's chairman Robert Jager, "What will Shell do if there's a leak from their rig in the Great South Basin?"
By way of reply, Mr Jager waxed lyrical about his splendid company and the benefits they would bring to New Zealand, but neglected to answer my question.
I asked it again a week later, in the 'letters' column of the Southland Times.
In response, the enigmatically named John Pfahlert, Executive Officer Petroleum Exploration and production Association wrote:
"Your correspondent Robert Guyton (August 26) seeks an absolute assurance the Great South basin drilling will not result in a spill along the Southland coast.
Such certainty is rarely achievable in any aspect of human endeavour.
However, he has sought details on practical steps which the industry would take to prevent an accident, and I can help him there."
Mr Pfahlert goes on to direct me and any readers interested, to a website which has information about the prevention of blowouts and other accidents that might beset an oil rig.
But still he failed to answer my question, as Mr Jager before him had also failed to do.
I'm asking Mr Jager and Mr Pfahlert,
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THERE WAS A SPILL?
Perhaps I need to write a third letter.
Monday, August 29, 2011
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8 comments:
Third time lucky :)
When the health and safety plans for the BP Gulf of Mexico rig were read after the spill, they were found to have been produced by 'copying and pasteing' from plans for rigs in Alaska. Unfortunately who ever did this neglected to delete the word 'moose' or substitute it for 'dolphin' or similar.
Ha!
I've sent #3 off to the editor.
It looks like this:
Petroleum Exploration and Production Association executive officer John
Pfahlert has misunderstood my question about drilling for oil in the Great
South Basin, though I'd kept it pretty simple. He thought I'd asked for
assurance that there would be no oil spills from the drilling that's
planned for the waters around our coast and quite rightly said he couldn't
give it, but I'd not asked for that. I was keen to know, and still am,
what the drilling companies would do if there was a serious spill. Would
they mop it up with woollen booms? Spray it with dispersant like they did
in the Gulf of Mexico? Set fire to it? Call the Coast Guard? Run for
cover?
If Mr Pfahlert (or Mr Jager from Shell NZ) could tell me that, my simple
question would be answered and I'd be very grateful.
Ah, Trying to destroy business activity one letter at a time eh?
Trying to protect the environment from Gulf of Mexico-like disaster, one letter at a time, yes.
Easy!
Why not get them fine people on a greenpeace toot toot boat to go out there and blow the damn rig up, and theres your answer right there!
I see your answer Shane but have to ask, what did you think was the question?
If the rig falls over you'll be able to see how they cope.
Fortunately and surely the bright light of imminent climate change Armageddon renders worrying about trivialities like an oil spill redundant?
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