Canary Islands call vote against oil drilling

[admin]

From http://www.thelocal.es/20141003/canary

Canary Islands call vote against oil drilling

Authorities in Spain's Canary Islands on Thursday called a popular vote on a controversial plan to drill for oil and gas off the major tourist destination.

Spain's government outraged the local government, residents and environmental groups in August by giving oil group Repsol the all-clear to explore near the islands' coasts.

Conservative regional president Paulino Rivero told reporters on Thursday he would let residents over 16 vote on November 23rd on the plan, which he fiercely opposes.

"Do you think the Canaries should change its environmental and tourism model for the sake of oil and gas exploration? That is the question that will be put to the vote," he said.

Residents of the archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa fear Repsol's explorations will harm the environment and disrupt the tourism industry on which their economy relies.

The company has been authorized to spend three years probing below the sea bed about 50 kilometres

(30 miles) from the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

Under the terms of the licence, Repsol must provide a deposit of â,¬20 million ($25 million) "to cover its environmental responsibilities".

It must stop its explorations if an earthquake stronger than magnitude 4.5 strikes the region.

Those safeguards have not convinced Rivero and local protesters, however.   

A local civil campaign group has called for demonstrations across the seven islands of the archipelago on October 18th under the slogan "We live here, we decide here".

[PHo]

Nice unbiased question, then!

[admin]

Agreed. Somewhat weighted that one..... but also open to interpretation.

The more I think about it, the less sure I am as to its meaning.

[woe10]

$25 million deposit, 

BP is responsible for close to $40 BILLION in fines, cleanup costs, and settlements as a result of the oil spill in 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico, with an additional $16 BILLION due to the Clean Water Act.

According to my calculator, that's $56 BILLION 

[Captain Sensible]

A badly worded voting question in my opinion

If oil exploration goes ahead then nothing to do with tourism will change, and if it doesn't go ahead then nothing will change either.

[fifi]

I was reading recently that the studies done so far have shown that there is not nearly as much oil and gas as they had expected to find. Perhaps it will not be in their best interest to pursue it any further?

[duncolm]

There could be some effects on tourism. Firstly, I wonder if oil exploration would affect the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve status. Then I think of places like Lerwick where oil companies are using so many hotel rooms that tourists struggle to find accommodation.

I was reading recently that the studies done so far have shown that there is not nearly as much oil and gas as they had expected to find. Perhaps it will not be in their best interest to pursue it any further?

Maybe, but many studies will report what their sponsors want them to report.
Here in Scotland there have been all sorts of reports saying North Sea oil will run out soon. Then, once the referendum was over, the news agenda changed and apparently new technology means that more oil can be extracted and it will last for decades....

[bedouin]

Here in Scotland there have been all sorts of reports saying North Sea oil will run out soon. Then, once the referendum was over, the news agenda changed and apparently new technology means that more oil can be extracted and it will last for decades....

I think the key issue is the cost of extracting the remaining oil.  Sure, it may not actually run out, but if it costs more to get it out than the market value, who's going to bother?

[bedouin]

I can't see that oil exploration activites 50km offshore will even be noticed by tourists.

[Spike On Q]

Will I still be able to buy petrol at the petrol station.  Will they still be able to get supplies from other people's back yards?

[duncolm]

Here in Scotland there have been all sorts of reports saying North Sea oil will run out soon. Then, once the referendum was over, the news agenda changed and apparently new technology means that more oil can be extracted and it will last for decades....

I think the key issue is the cost of extracting the remaining oil.  Sure, it may not actually run out, but if it costs more to get it out than the market value, who's going to bother?

My point is that new techniques are, reportedly, making it viable to extract oil from smaller or harder to access deposits. Therefore I wouldn't pay much attention to any reports on how much of it is or isn't there.

As for works 50km out not affecting tourists, then yes, the rigs may be out of sight but you still get workers based onshore going back and forward by helicopter. And you have the question of where would the crude be landed? The Atlantic probably isn't exactly the sort of calm water where it could be loaded directly from rig to ship.
Then again I've enjoyed spending time on a beautiful long beach in New Zealand which had a great big refinery at the end and tankers coming and going...

[woe10]

I can't see that oil exploration activites 50km offshore will even be noticed by tourists.

That's what they thought in the Gulf of Mexico. Then all this Black Slime came ashore.

[bedouin]

I can't see that oil exploration activites 50km offshore will even be noticed by tourists.

That's what they thought in the Gulf of Mexico. Then all this Black Slime came ashore.

Your life really is full of woe, isn't it?  Lighten up, think glass half-full rather than glass half-empty!

[Jock719]

Fair point, maybe only a half our beaches will be covered in black slime.,that wouldn't make much difference really.....

[bedouin]

Fair point, maybe only a half our beaches will be covered in black slime.,that wouldn't make much difference really.....

As long as it's only the northern beaches affected, there'd be no problem! 

[admin]

From : http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2014/10/05/government-under-pressure-to-abandon-canary-island-oil-drilling/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OlivePressNewspaper+(Olive+Press+Newspaper)

"Government under pressure to abandon Canary Island oil-drilling


THE Spanish government is under pressure to abandon oil-drilling plans in the Canary Islands and create a sanctuary for whales and dolphins.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) launched its campaign after Repsol was given the go-ahead for exploration off the shores of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

These waters are home to nearly a third of the world`s whale and dolphin species.
WWF Spain`s secretary general, Juan Carlos del Olmo, said: “We`re talking about an area that`s Europe`s richest when it comes to whales and one of the top in the world.”

Del Olmo said whales and dolphins would be at threat of oil spills, contamination and loud noises.
Spain`s environment ministry began examining the creation of a sanctuary off the islands in 2011 after the death of several whales in the region.

Drilling â€" which could start as early as October â€" is also causing concern in the tourism industry.
Repsol spokesperson Marcos Fraga said the company ‘respected` the protests, but that opposition was premature.

He said the drilling is first to determine whether the oil reserves exist and how much it would cost to access them.
“From there, we can open a quiet, calm debate regarding the pros and cons, to take a decision as a company, as a society and as a country,” he said.
“But the discovery of hydrocarbons would be good news for the country.”

With unemployment at 33% on the islands, industry and tourism minister Jose Manuel Soria has insisted that Spain ‘cannot afford the luxury` of not knowing whether the gas and oil reserves exist or not."

[woe10]

So what if they do find oil, where will all the money go 

I've lived here long enough to know the answer to that 

[Ivemovedon]

The wealth never drip feeds to the normal population from an oil strike. The poor remain poor and the few lucky ones get even richer than they were already. Even worse if its an arab country, as apart from keeping the top knobs fabulously rich it also pays for more kalashnikovs and funds for terrorism. And all this while 95 % of the people still live and die in mud huts.....oil in the canaries will have no effect on the local population except if theres an oil spill.

[bedouin]

The wealth never drip feeds to the normal population from an oil strike. The poor remain poor and the few lucky ones get even richer than they were already. Even worse if its an arab country, as apart from keeping the top knobs fabulously rich it also pays for more kalashnikovs and funds for terrorism. And all this while 95 % of the people still live and die in mud huts.....oil in the canaries will have no effect on the local population except if theres an oil spill.

That's rather pessimistic.  If you look at Scotland, the oil industry supports well over 100,000 jobs.  There's no reason why Fuerteventura shouldn't benefit from thousands of new jobs if oil were to be found.

[Ivemovedon]

i doubt any island residents will be drilling for oil or take much part in any of the oil production employment offspins. Jobs perhaps, but for who?

I also doubt the scottish oil industry makes much difference to the prosperity of 95% of scots. If it dried up tomorrow they wouldn't even know it had happened.

[bedouin]

i doubt any island residents will be drilling for oil or take much part in any of the oil production employment offspins. Jobs perhaps, but for who?

I also doubt the scottish oil industry makes much difference to the prosperity of 95% of scots. If it dried up tomorrow they wouldn't even know it had happened.

They may not be drilling, but there are massive spin-off employment opportunities which island residents might benefit from, if they can be bothered.

As for Scotland, the oil industry is said to account for 6% of the working population, so it benefits far more than the 5% of Scots you estimated.  Not to mention the tax revenues which help support Scotland's profligate expenditure.

[Ivemovedon]

ok the oil industry makes no difference to to 94% of the scottish population and not 95%. Sorry.

 

[bedouin]

ok the oil industry makes no difference to to 94% of the scottish population and not 95%. Sorry.

Still rather blinkered thinking.  Those 100,000+ oil workers earn good money - money which they and their families spend in the Scottish economy, supporting other jobs, bringing wealth to communities.

[Ivemovedon]

Bringing wealth to what communities?. Not the have nots from Glasgow thats for sure. Good luck to the chosen 100,000, their families and any others fortunate enough to get the leftovers. But theres no way it filters down to the unwashed masses. It doesn't work that way.

Getting back to Fuerteventura, unlike Scotland theres probably virtually no one with any oil production related skills who could possibly benefit from local drilling. 

[bedouin]

Getting back to Fuerteventura, unlike Scotland theres probably virtually no one with any oil production related skills who could possibly benefit from local drilling.

Oh, come on! The oil industry creates huge demand for transport (drivers, loaders, unloaders, admin people), boat-related support (skippers, crew, divers, cooks, admin), catering (cooks, kitchen staff, waiters, admin), accommodation (maids, cleaners, admin), etc, etc.  Do you really think there's nobody on Fuerteventura that might be able to tackle some of those jobs?

[Ivemovedon]

possibly. But the workforce will most likely be recruited and brought in from elsewhere. Its not a foregone conclusion that oil production offshore will bring prosperity to the Canary islands themselves. If it was i don't think there would be as much opposition to it.
All in all i can't see the local jack of all trades and jobless getting too excited about it.

[PHo]

It may not be a foregone conclusion that Fuerte will benefit, but it is likely. Look at Aberdeen, now the wealthiest city in Scotland since the coming of the oil industry.  Could happen to Puerto too, though they say the chance of finding oil is only about 15%.

[bedouin]

All in all i can't see the local jack of all trades and jobless getting too excited about it.

I did talk earlier about "massive spin-off employment opportunities which island residents might benefit from, if they can be bothered."  Maybe you're right, they can't be bothered.

[Spike On Q]

I was a travelling charge hand on underwater pipelines. Two of us travelled, the rest were local Labour employed for the contract. Land based workers ditto. We also chartered local boats and crews, used local yards for ad hoc repairs, spent thousands with local suppliers, etc. etc.  My bar bill at weekends was huge and the local community benefited

PS we did one contract in Grangemouth - all the locals we employed were Glasgow overspill

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I'm really divided on this issue; one day I'm against oil exploration because of potential spills, the next I'm for it in hope that it might bring some much needed employment opportunities, probably in the support sectors.
I confess to not having read all the articles that have been published on this and therefore my question might already have been covered, but here goes: isn't the exploration taking place nearer to Africa than The Canaries, and if so, wouldn't any shore base (and the associated benefits) be over there?