Source : Perth Now news
Greenpeace protesters have spent the night dangling off a Woodside offshore gas rig, 240 km from the WA coastline.
The trip out to the gas rig, off the WA town of Karratha in the Pilbara region, has forced Woodside workers to pause operations on the platform.
Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior ship arrived at the rig on Saturday, and two protesters have set up camp on the hulking platform after a large banner reading “Stop Woodside’s Dirty Gas. Save Scott Reef” was unfurled.
Woodside said the protesters are breaking a host of mining and maritime laws.
“The activists’ conduct is not peaceful. It is dangerous, reckless and illegal,” a Woodside spokesperson said.
Work on the gas rig has been paused while protesters are on the scene. Maritime data shows Greenpeace and the platform are 240km north of the town of Exmouth and 380km west of Karratha.
Scott Reef and Seringapatam Reef are important areas for the endangered pygmy blue whale.
Scott Reef is also Australia’s largest oceanic reef system, while the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system. Scott Reef is home to 29 species of marine mammals, as well as corals, fish, rays and sharks.
Woodside’s proposed drilling in the area is projected to add 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon pollution to the atmosphere.
Greenpeace is live-blogging the expedition.
“It felt so incredible watching from the Rainbow Warrior as these wonderful activists scaled Woodside’s gas platform,” Rainbow Warrior captain Hettie Geenan said.
“Just before this peaceful protest, the Rainbow Warrior sailed to Scott Reef, where our whole crew got to witness the magic of an untouched, healthy reef ecosystem full of marine life.
“When you see Scott Reef up close and witness its magic first-hand, it is impossible not to feel driven to try to protect it.”
After the Rainbow Warrior mothership arrived at Woodside’s platform on Saturday, protesters set off on smaller boats, climbed aboard and hung a 14-by-12-metre banner on the rig.
The activist group said it has sailed in recent years to various discarded and “toxic” Woodside oil towers in roughly the same areas.
On Sunday, a Greenpeace spokesperson said two of the activists had slept on the platform, “safely tucked up into their harnesses”.
Soon after they climbed aboard, Woodside paused all operations on the “floating production unit”.
The Woodside spokesperson said the protesters endangered their own safety, as well as the safety of Woodside staff, contractors and law enforcement.
“Woodside will not ignore Greenpeace’s unacceptable actions and supports a strong response by relevant authorities to enforce the law to the fullest extent.
“Greenpeace’s actions have triggered a significant, potentially costly and entirely avoidable response, requiring WA resources to be mobilised to manage the safety, security and operational consequences of their actions.”
WA Police directed questions to the Australian Border Force (ABF).
“The ABF is aware of reports regarding protest activity at offshore infrastructure off the WA coast and is working with Commonwealth and WA partner agencies to respond,” a spokesperson said.
