Rig disaster proves Ice plans ‘unsafe’

Press, 12 July 1988, Page 16

Rig disaster proves Ice plans ‘unsafe’

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington

The Piper Alpha disaster in the North Sea proves how unsafe mineral exploration can be in a hostile environment, such as Antarctica, according to Greenpeace.

It strongly opposed the agreed Minerals Convention for Antarctica reached at a month-long meeting in May of the Antarctic Treaty nations. Greenpeace and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition both continue to oppose the minerals regime and are mounting a world-wide campaign against it and in favour of a World Park. Claims made that modern oil extraction techniques are safe for An-

tarctica have been disproved by the Piper Alpha disaster, according to the coalition’s convener, Ms Cath Wallace. The disaster with the North Sea oil rig brought into sharp and painful focus the claims made during the May negotiations that modern oil technology was safe, she said. Attention had naturally been fixed on the human tragedy, but there would be an unseen environmental disaster associated

with the loss of hydrocarbons into the sea. If an accident like this were to happen in Antarctica it might be impossible even to reach the scene because of the extensive sea-ice that formed.

Antarctica was plunged into darkness for weeks during winter so an oil spill could continue for months unchecked, Ms Wallace said. It might be impossible to get rescue crews or any other, support on to the site.