Oil giants eye Arctic reserves_美文_双语阅读-查字典英语网

Oil giants eye Arctic reserves

Corporate video animations posted on the Internet by Shell illustrate the company’s drilling activities in the Arctic. Shell has abandoned its Arctic exploration until after the coming winter, citing the failure of a key piece of safety equipment.

According to analyst Glada Lahn, safety will be the key to any successful oil exploration in the Arctic.

“It’s been more difficult in the US and Canada. The memories of Deepwater Horizon, and even before that Exxon Valdez, are still fresh in people’s minds, and so there’s been a lot more public scrutiny of the companies’ spill response plans, for instance,” said Lahn.

VOA did approach Shell for an interview but the company said no one was available.

After political problems appeared to have derailed the deal, it appears a joint venture between Rosneft and BP to drill in the Arctic could be back on.

But not all oil giants are joining the rush. The CEO of the French firm Total recently said “a leak would do too much damage to the image of the company.”

In August activists from the environmental group "Greenpeace" chained themselves to a Russian ship working from Gazprom’s Prirazlomnaya rig in the Barents Sea.

"This is a peaceful attempt by us as Greenpeace to try to bring some sanity and some urgency, to get Gazprom, Shell, and other companies that are thinking about drilling in the Arctic to stop, to reconsider and understand the consequences of that action that will destroy our children's and grandchildren's future," said Greenpeace Executive Director Kumi Naidoo.