Texan oil company Anadarko has started drilling for oil 110 nautical miles off the coast of Raglan, saying that ‘spudding-in’ began at 2.30am this morning (Tuesday 26th Nov.)
Anadarko front man Alan Seay said the Noble Bob Douglas will drill for 70 days, until it hits its target depth. Anadarko said that the Oil Free Seas vessel the Vega had not stopped it. Mr Seay went on to say that Anadarko has had to delay its drilling because of time taken getting vital equipment from the shore.
Greenpeace’s Bunny McDiarmid says Anadarko has broken industry safety rules by drilling with another ship nearby.
We can only pray now that the one in nineteen chance of a spill doesn’t occur during the next 70 days off our beautiful coast and support iwi with their trespass notice.