Greenpeace occupation of Shell Oil Platform Ends with no Arrests

13 February 2023

Haugesund, Norway  Six Greenpeace International activists have today disembarked a Shell oil platform at the port of Haugesund, southwest Norway, after a 13-day occupation and nearly 4,000km, with police making no arrests. 

In a final stand at 10.30am (CET), protestors climbed the platform’s 125m flare boom, and waved a banner saying ‘Stop drilling. Start Paying.’ Meanwhile five fellow activists led by Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director, Yeb Saño, on board Greenpeace Nordic’s 8-meter Tanker Tracker boat sailed out to confront the 51-000-tonne White Marlin vessel contracted by Shell as it approached the port. 

At midday the platform was brought in to dock, and protestors were able to descend the boom and disembark at 2.30pm, having traveled nearly 4,000km from where they first boarded, north of the Canary Islands.[1] It is Greenpeace’s longest ever occupation of a moving oil platform. 

The protestors have been calling on Shell to take responsibility for its role in causing the climate crisis, and to pay into loss and damage funds, to help countries recover from extreme weather caused by climate change. Two days into their protest, Shell posted record annual profits of nearly $40billion.[2] 

Speaking from the Tanker Tracker sailboat Mr Saño, who has previously acted as lead negotiator for the Philippines at global climate talks, said: “Shell might think this is the end of our protest, but my message to chief executive Wael Sawan is that this is just the beginning. 

“Negotiations around climate loss and damage have so far stalled when it comes to the fundamental question of: who will pay?

“Thanks to my brave fellow activists we are seeing people connecting the dots between fossil fuel mega profits and the bill for climate loss and damage.

“Not only can the likes of Shell afford to pay; it is right that they must pay for devastation that they are directly causing. Shell, and the wider fossil fuel industry, must stop drilling, and start paying. One way or another we will make polluters pay.”

On Tuesday January 31, Carlos Marcelo Bariggi Amara, from Argentina; Yakup Çetinkaya, from Turkey; Imogen Michel from the UK and Usnea Granger from the US, successfully boarded Shell’s 34,000 tonne oil platform, as it was being transported to the North Sea.

The platform is a floating production storage and offloading [FPSO] unit destined for a major redevelopment project as Shell seeks to squeeze every last drop of oil from the Penguins field. Burning all of the oil and gas from the field redevelopment would create 45m tonnes of CO2 – more than the entire annual emissions of Norway.[3]

The production platform is the first new manned vessel for Shell in the northern North Sea for 30 years. At peak production the project is expected to yield the equivalent of 45,000 barrels of oil per day, and Shell has suggested it could open up further areas for exploration.[4]

After posting obscene profits, which were met with public outcry, Shell attempted to shut down the peaceful protest by securing an injunction on Friday, February 3; threatening fines and up to two years in prison.[5] 

But despite these court orders, Greenpeace International was able to sustain the occupation and add two more climbers – Pascal Havez from France, and Silja Zimmermann from Germany-  to join the original four. 

On Friday, February 10, Greenpeace UK, Greenpeace International and the individual activists were then hit with a legal claim for more than $120,000, over alleged damage caused by activists. They were accused of having ‘unlawfully’ erected solar panels and a wind turbine on Shell’s oil platform, and of “intimidation” for calling on Shell to stop drilling and start paying for climate loss and damage. And the claim demanded that the campaign group – which is funded by donations – pay for increased security costs associated with the protest, and for other damage that might have occurred. With no assessment having yet taken place; the claim failed to explain exactly what the sum of over $120,000 is for, or what damage is alleged. 

Today, Greenpeace Nordic sent a third boat to confront Shell’s oil platform as it was brought into port in Norway. Mr Saño was accompanied by Greenpeace activists Martin Taminiau, from the Netherlands; Halvard Raavand, from Norway; Daniel Zetterström, from Sweden and Ronnie Christiansen from Denmark, holding a banner stating: Stop Drilling. Start Paying. 

As the oil platform was brought into port, the six activists involved in the occupation were able to peacefully disembark, with Norwegian police making no arrests. 

The fortnight of protests has seen activists come together from Argentina, Cameroon, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, the UK and the US to call for climate justice.[6]

ENDS

Pics and video from TODAY available in the Greenpeace Media Library. 

Notes

Timeline

• Jan 31: From inflatable boats launched from the Arctic Sunrise ship, four activists board the oil platform in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Feb 6: Two more activists board from small inflatable boats, with the Merida sailboat bearing witness in the Channel.
• Feb 12: Tanker tracker sailboat confronts in Norwegian port of Haugesund. 

• Photos and video from the original action on Tuesday 31st available here. 
• Photos from the London protest on February 2 available here. 
• Photos and video from the second boarding, on Monday February 6, available from here and pics from the protest in the Philippines available here. 

[1] The first four activists have traveled 3,983km since boarding Shell’s oil platform north of the Canary Islands. 

[2] Calls for bigger windfall tax after Shell makes ‘obscene’ $40bn profit

[3] Burning all of the oil and gas from the Penguins field would create 45m tonnes of CO2 – more than the entire annual emissions of Norway 

• Norway’s annual emissions for 2021 were 40,918,550.00 t, according to Our World in Data. 
• Ecuador’s annual emissions for 2021 were 41,321,736.00 t, according to Our World in Data. 
• According to Rystad, the Penguins redevelopment contains 79.9 (Oil mBOE) and 209.8 (Gas BCF).
• Using the multipliers found in the EPA calculator we get the below figures.
• 79.9 (Oil mBOE)  x 0.42 (EPA Multiplier) = 33,516,000 tonnes CO2e
• 209.8 (Gas BCF) x 54,740 (EPA Multiplier) = 11,489,926 tonnes CO2e
• 11,489,926 tonnes CO2e + 33,516,000 tonnes CO2e = 45,005,926 tonnes CO2e

[4]  Penguins growth strategy, Upstream, 2018

[5] Calls for bigger windfall tax after Shell makes ‘obscene’ $40bn profit

[6] SHELL OIL PLATFORM PROTEST – FULL TIMELINE

Tuesday January 31. Four Greenpeace International protestors: Carlos Marcelo Bariggi Amara, from Argentina; Yakup Çetinkaya, from Turkey; Imogen Michel from the UK and Usnea Granger from the US, successfully board Shell’s oil platform in the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Canary Islands from RHIBs launched from the Arctic Sunrise ship.

Thursday February 2. Greenpeace UK stages a protest at Shell’s London headquarters, as the company announces record profits of nearly $40bn.

Friday February 3. Shell takes out an injunction against the four Greenpeace activists, threatening fines and up to two years in jail. It seeks to block further protests by including the Greenpeace UK Sea Beaver vessel in the court order.

Monday February 6. Another two activists, Pascal Havez from France, and Silja Zimmermann from Germany, successfully board the oil platform at sea; with three more activists – Nonhle Mbuthuma from South Africa; Hussein Ali Ghandour, from Lebanon; and Noa Helffer, from Italy –  protesting in solidarity from Greenpeace’s Merida trimaran vessel, bearing witness.

On the same day, activists in the Philippines stage a protest at Shell’s headquarters there. 

Tuesday February 7 – Shell’s lawyers ask the High Court in London to greatly broaden the existing injunction, but are largely rebuffed, despite the defendants’ admission more protest is planned. 

Friday February 10: As part of the injunctions Shell has secured, damages upwards of £100,000 are being sought from Greenpeace.

Sunday February 12. Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director, Yeb Saño, on board Greenpeace Nordic’s 8-meter Tanker Tracker sailboat, faces down the monster 51,000-tonne heavy lift vessel in a final stand. He is accompanied by activists Martin Taminiau, the Netherlands; Halvard Raavand, from Norway; Daniel Zetterström, from Sweden and Ronnie Christiansen from Denmark.

Contacts

Emily Davies, Greenpeace Global Press Lead: +44 7870 260 213, emily.davies@greenpeace.org 

Greenpeace International Press Desk: +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org

INDYRADIO