BP, Rosneft jumping the gun on oil exploration in Russian Arctic says WWF

WWF is asking the Russian government to limit new oil drilling in the Russian Arctic following the announcement of a new joint venture between BP and Russian oil and gas company Rosneft until proper technologies and full environmental assessment are in place. The two companies plan to work together in the south Kara Sea in the Russian Central Arctic, in an area covering 125,ooo square kilometres.

This announcement follows a caution on Arctic drilling by the Commission investigating the catastrophic BP blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. In its recommendations, the Commission warned that in drilling for oil in the offshore Arctic, “Both industry and government will have to demonstrate standards and a level of performance higher than they have ever achieved before.”

Noting the environmental records of the two oil companies, WWF Russia says it is nervous about the prospects of them working together in the Arctic. Alexander Shestakov, director of WWF’s Global Arctic
Programme, says “Not just in Russia, but all around the Arctic, it is clear that there is neither the technology nor the capacity to respond to oil spills. This is not just an opinion from an environmental group,
this is an acknowledged fact. We are asking the Russian government and all governments to hold off on any new oil drilling until the companies involved can prove they can effectively clean up a spill in that
environment. If the Russian government is determined to push ahead with new oil drilling in the Kara Sea, WWF believes that it should at the very least ensure a rigorous environmental assessment and full set of
preventive measures to be in place first.”

The Russian government has a double responsibility in its dealing with Rosneft. It is not only the regulator of oil and gas activities in offshore Russia; it is also the majority shareholder in Rosneft.

For more information:
Clive Tesar
Head of Communications
WWF Global Arctic Programme
613 232 2535
[email protected]