Save the Arctic!

Flickr: Save the Arctic!

On 24 Feb 2012 seven people including actor Lucy Lawless scaled the 50 meter drill tower on a drillship commissioned by Shell to drill for oil in the Arctic. They occupied the Arctic-bound drillship in port Taranaki, New Zealand, for over 70 hours before being arrested. Below are messages they sent from the rig.

• I’m on one of the oldest drill rigs on the planet and it’s heading to the Arctic.  Tell Shell to stop #savetheartic greenpeace.org 
  by reallucylawless via twitter February 24 at 6:53 AM

• Why? 1. The Arctic is in the crosshairs of Climate Change profiteers.  #savethearctic
  by reallucylawless via twitter February 24 at 6:58 AM
• Why? 2. Because a blowout under Arctic ice will make the Gulf of Mexico spill look like a children's party #savethearctic
  by reallucylawless via twitter February 24 at 7:00 AM
• Why?3. Because We have the technology and knowledge to change the course of  runaway climate change. We owe it to our kids #savethearctic
  by reallucylawless via twitter February 24 at 7:05 AM
• Fossil fuels will darken our future. Only renewable energy will enhance it. We owe it to our kids to fight for clean energy!
  by reallucylawless via twitter February 28 at 7:57 AM

Youtube: Four days of action in defence of the Arctic

Japan starts drilling methane hydrate

The Japanese vessel Chikyu started drilling in waters about 1000 meters deep, some 70 to 80 kilometers off the Japanese coast in February 2012. The vessel will dig about 260 meters or more below the seabed to reach the methane hydrate.

The drilling is part of a two-year program commissioned by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for testing and data collection. Continuous production of methane is planned over several weeks in January to March 2013.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nb20120216a3.html
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T120214006290.htm
http://www.shimbun.denki.or.jp/en/news/20120207_01.html