Obama Administration Bars New Oil, Gas Exploration off Alaska
The Obama administration on Friday blocked new exploration for oil and gas in Arctic waters, in a win for environmental groups that had fought development of the ecologically fragile region. The Department of the Interior released a 2017 to 2022 leasing plan that blocked drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off northern Alaska. It also limited petroleum development in the Cook Inlet off south-central Alaska. Environmental activists have battled drilling in Alaska to protect whales, walruses and seals, and as part of a broader movement to keep remaining fossil fuels in the ground.
Too Eager to Drill for Arctic Oil - Greenpeace
Greenpeace's ship, the Esperanza, is still on station in the Arctic to expose renewed Norwegian efforts to drill for oil in this pristine environment. Last week Greenpeace successfully headed off attempts by an oil company to complete controversial seismic testing, commissioned by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate in the absence of any political discussion, by revealing it in prime time TV news. Norwegian oil interests are persistent but Greenpeace say that they are determined to stop them. This week the Esperanza approached the Statoil oil rig Transocean Spitsbergen located over the Isfjell well, just south of Bear Island in the Barents Sea. "They are really eager to drill, too eager," pointed out Erlend Tellnes, an Arctic campaigner with Greenpeace Nordic.
UAE Says Japanese Oil Tanker Attacked by Terrorists
According to a report from the Christian Science Monitor, Japanese oil tanker M. Star was subject last month to a terrorist attack, UAE inspectors said on Friday, August 6, raising fears of a new campaign targeting global oil interests. The M. Star, a 1,082-ft supertanker, was shaken by what appeared to be an explosion shortly after midnight on July 28 as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel of water separating Iran and Oman. On August 6, a state-run news agency in the United Arab Emirates, said experts investigating the cause of the damage in the UAE port of Fujairah had found traces of explosives on the tanker’s starboard hull. (Source: Christian Science Monitor)
Gulf of Guinea Nations to Boost Maritime Surveillance
The AP reported that ministers from across Africa's oil-rich Gulf of Guinea agreed at a U.S.-sponsored meeting Wednesday to establish surveillance systems to try to stamp out illegal activity in their largely unpoliced waters. Representatives from 11 agreed in a statement to start using tools such as radar and locator transponders on ships to monitor activity off their coasts. The statement was issued during a three-day meeting in Cotonou, Benin, sponsored by U.S. government agencies and military. The U.S. government has been pushing countries to increase security along the little-watched West African coast, an area of growing importance for U.S. oil interests amid volatility in the Middle East.
Interim Report for A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S
A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S recently released its 2006 Interim Report. The company’s half-year revenue is $29.9b, compared with $15.1b from 2005. Profit before depreciation, amortization, etc. is $4.4b compared with last year’s $3.6b. Profit before tax is $2.9b and profit for the period $1.2b. The half year is particularly affected by the following factors: Revenue, costs, depreciation, amortization and financial items are affected by the acquisition of P&O Nedlloyd and oil interests from Kerr-McGee, which are included as from August 11, 2005 and November 17, 2005 respectively; Maersk Line has not obtained a share of the general market growth during the first half year 2006…
