According to the Greenpeace Web page, On16 February last year (1995),Greenpeace learned that the U.K. government had granted permission for Shell Oil to dump a huge, heavily contaminated oil installation, the 14,500 tonne Brent Spar, into the North Atlantic despite it being loaded with toxic and radioactive sludge. Dumping operations, just west of Ireland and Scotland, were expected to begin inMay. Greenpeace went into action with plans to take over and occupy the rig to prevent the dumping. More than two dozen activists from six North Sea countries pulled operations together. Video and photo staff were called upon to document the Brent Spar platform and the occupation. The Moby Dick delivered activists to the platform (on April 30)

and remained in the area to provide back up…

Greenpeace believes that if this platform were to be dumped at sea, with some 400 others at work in the North Sea alone, this would have set a dangerous precedent.1 Without doubt, this act of piracy caused serious consternation at the headquarters of Shell UK and at the parent company’s head office in the Netherlands.

Shell UK had been studying options for decommissioning the oil storage and tanker loading platform since 1991, but no perfect option had emerged. The Brent Spar was 140 meters in length, with 109 below the water level, so tearing it apart would be likely to cause leakage of hazardous substances. Consequently, for reasons of cost as well as environmental safety, Shell had chosen to apply to the U.K. government for a permit to sink the platform in the deep ocean. This decision was based on extensive assessments of the following options:

• Horizontal dismantling (and onshore disposal)

• Vertical dismantling (and onshore disposal)

• In-field disposal

• Deep-water disposal

• Refurbishment and reuse

• Continued maintenance

Questions:-
1. What would you have done if you were calling the shots at Shell UK?
When?
2. What would you have done if you were calling the shots at the parent Shell head office?

Transcribed Image Text:

Structure of Brent Spar Helideck Accommodation Column Chain fenders Buoyancy tanks Anodes Anchor chains Oil storage tanks (Volume 300,000 bbl) Ballast Main body diameter = 29 m Overall height to turntable = 137 m Overall weight = 14,500 tonnes