Arctic 30: Greenpeace turns on Shell
As the detention of Greenpeace’s ‘Arctic 30′ by Russian security services approaches its second month, a shift of campaign tactics is taking place. Now Shell, Gazprom’s partner in developing oil and gas on the Arctic Shelf, is in the firing line.
The Ecologist: 13th November 2013
As the detention of Greenpeace’s ‘Arctic 30′ by Russian security services approaches its second month, a shift of campaign tactics is taking place. Now Shell, Gazprom’s partner in developing oil and gas on the Arctic Shelf, is in the firing line.
Greenpeace is targetting Shell in a new round of protests aimed at securing the release of the Arctic 30 protestors arrested on a Russian oil platform owned by oil and gas giant Gazprom in the Arctic Ocean 56 days ago.
This Saturday thousands of protestors are expected to gather at 60 nominated Shell stations around the UK to demand the Artic 30′s immediate release, and similar actions will take place around the globe.
Gazprom is known to have demanded a vigorous security responseto the Greenpeace protest. But rather less well known anre the very close links between Gazprom and Shell.
In November 30 2010 Gazprom and Shell signed the Protocol on Global Strategic Cooperation providing for a wider interaction of the companies in hydrocarbons exploration, production, processing and distribution in Russian and international energy markets.
In June 16 2011 Gazprom Neft and Shell signed the Basic Terms and Conditions of the Agreement which stipulates the study of possible ways to create a joint venture to deliver joint projects in Western Siberia, other Russian regions and in third countries, having reached an agreement in April 2013 to jointly develop oil and gas on the Arctic shelf, and produce shale oil in Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Area.
“The agreements reached bring our partnership to a new level. Our companies already have the experience of long-lasting successful work within the Sakhalin II and Salym projects, and we welcome the opportunity to use this experience and our innovation technologies in Arctic operations and shale oil development”, said Peter Voser, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell.
And now Gazprom is in advanced negotiations with Shell over another huge deal that would see a huge acceleration in Arctic oil exploration, creating an Arctic oil rush worth up to half a trillion dollars.
“Gazprom were critical to the arrest and detention of the Arctic 30″, says Greenpeace. “Shell could use its influence as a key financial partner to help secure the release of our friends, but so far it has stayed silent on the matter. By continuing this silence, Shell is complicit in the ongoing detention of the 30. On Saturday 16th, we’ll go to Shell petrol stations across the UK and demand that they finally speak out and join calls for the Arctic 30′s release.”
But Shell insists that it has “nothing to do with the events in Russia – zero point zero percent”.
The Arctic 30, comprising 28 activists and two freelance journalists, have now been transferred to St Petersburg.
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