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EU energy commissioner calls for ban on deep water drilling
photo by polandeze (Flickr Creative Commons)
As the world’s attention is still focused on the BP Gulf of Mexico disaster the EU’s energy commissioner, Gunther Oettinger, is calling for a moratorium on deep water oil drilling in Europe.
The energy commissioner met with oil industry representatives on Wednesday and clearly stated that he is in favor of banning deep sea oil drilling and instituting a freeze on issuing new drilling permits.
This would mostly affect drilling in around the UK.
From a BBC News report:
Mr Oettinger wants the Union’s member states to call a halt to drilling around Europe, including the Mediterranean and Black Sea, where Scottish-based oil companies operate.
The UK’s The Department of Energy and Climate Change stated that Oettenger’s demands will not be realized and that the EU has no jurisdiction to enact such a ban.
Read more on this story in the Guardian article BP Gulf oil leak puts pressure on UK to ban North Sea drilling.
Graham Land
Tags: ban, BP, commissioner, deep, drilling, energy, EU, Europe, Gulf, Oettinger, oil, sea, water
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