Writing about the petroleum industry is fascinating, but as a journalist, one sometimes yearns for a dash of color or, better still, a whiff of controversy.
Down the years, environmental campaign group Greenpeace has been a reliable provider of both. It has played Jiminy Cricket to industry's Pinocchio with such success that its image has evolved from that of an eccentric bunch of whale fanciers to that of a respected environmental authority.
The commando-style invasion of the Brent Spar derelict loading buoy in the summer of 1995 really brought Greenpeace to the forefront of the public imagination (OGJ, May 8, 1995, p. 25).
For a while, the oil industry could barely attempt to operate a drilling rig or a ship without protesters chaining themselves to it. But to the relief of the oil industry, Greenpeace's stormtroopers now spend much of their time destroying fields of genetically modified crops.
Civilized approach
Towards the petroleum industry these days, Greenpeace's approach is perhaps best described as civilized abrasiveness.
In its most recent assault, Greenpeace returned to the defense of its finny friends-particularly the blue, fin, and humpback whales, plus various species of dolphins, which breed in or migrate through the Atlantic Frontier area between Northwest Scotland and the Faroe Islands.
Greenpeace took the UK government to court over its failure to apply the European Union Habitats Directive-which limits disturbing industrial activities in protected areas-to exploration and production activities along the Atlantic Frontier.
The judge in the case ruled that the Department of Trade and Industry had not applied the directive when it initiated a plan to open up further areas along the Atlantic Frontier to licensing.
The case hinged on DTI's decision to apply the terms of the directive only within 12 miles of the coast rather than within the 200 miles that comprises UK offshore territory.
No appeal
Stephen Byers, secretary of state for trade and industry, announced that the government does not intend to appeal the judgment.
Greenpeace Executive Director Peter Melchett said: "This is a fantastic victory for British whales, dolphins, and deepwater coral reefs. It turns government policy on fossil fuels on its head.
"The government should learn from this defeat and review whether it can afford to continue to license new oil exploration, given the damage that it will cause to British marine wildlife and the global climate."
