Shell has decided to take legal action against Greenpeace following an incident involving the boarding of one of its FPSOs. The company believes that this act was a violation of international law and poses a threat to the safety and security of its operations. Shell is committed to upholding the highest standards of environmental responsibility and recognizes the importance of peaceful protest. However, it firmly believes that this particular action crossed the line and jeopardized the well-being of its personnel and the integrity of its facilities. As such, Shell has chosen to pursue legal recourse in order to protect its rights and ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. The company remains dedicated to engaging in open and constructive dialogue with all stakeholders, including environmental organizations, to find mutually beneficial solutions to global energy challenges.
Shell, one of the world's largest oil and gas companies, is suing Greenpeace for $2.1 million in damages after the environmental group occupied a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit for 13 days earlier this year. This is one of the biggest legal claims against an environmental group in history.
Background
The incident occurred in January when Greenpeace activists boarded the Shell-contracted heavy-load vessel White Marlin, which was carrying Shell's FPSO to the Penguins oil and gas field in the UK North Sea. The protest lasted until February 12, and at the time, Shell and its co-claimant, FPSO builder Fluor, claimed they would seek damages in court.
Although the parties were offered to resolve the dispute out of court, Greenpeace rejected Shell's offer of $1.4 million in damages and an indefinite block on all protests at its infrastructure at sea or in port anywhere in the world.
Greenpeace stated that they would agree to such a protest ban if Shell complied with the Netherlands court order in 2021 requiring the company to reduce its emissions by 45% by 2030, relative to 2019, across all activities.
Legal Action
Shell filed the claim in London's High Court, stating that the damages represented the legal costs of securing two previous injunctions against the protesters and other expenses, including mobilizing an extra safety vessel. The claims could rise to a total of $8.6 million if Shell contractors also pursue damages.
Greenpeace described Shell's claim as an "intimidation lawsuit" and accused the company of trying to crush Greenpeace's ability to campaign.
Reactions
Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, stated that Shell is "hell-bent on profit, regardless of human cost" and called for the government to regulate the company.
The Penguins FPSO is the first newly operated vessel for Shell in the northern North Sea for 30 years. The field has been producing oil since 2002, and its life extension project is expected to deliver 45,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day at peak production.
This legal battle highlights the tension between environmental groups and oil and gas companies as they clash over climate change and the future of fossil fuels.
Summary
It remains to be seen how this case will be resolved and what impact it will have on future protests and legal claims.
(This article is sourced from Splash247.com and curated by Thetransporteronline24)
