Crucial meeting on Shell’ s rig leg plans

Environment: ‘Litmus test’ for rules over installation removal

Germany has said a special meeting on Shell’s plans to leave concrete oil rig legs in the North Sea will be the “litmus test” for environmental protection rules.

Ospar, an agreement of 15 European countries, made a ruling following Shell’s Brent Spar episode nearly 25 years ago requiring complete removal of oil and gas installations at the end of their production lives.

Shell was forced to abandon plans to sink the Brent Spar, an oil storage buoy, in the North Atlantic following sustained protests from Greenpeace in the 1990s.

Ospar meets in London later to discuss Shell’s plans to leave the concrete legs of the Brent Bravo, Charlie and Delta platforms in the UK North Sea, which contradicts Ospar rules.

Concerns have been raised about the contents of 64 concrete oil storage cells within them – each taller than Nelson’s Column – eventually being released into the sea, although Shell said this will only take place gradually over centuries.

Germany’s environment minister Svenja Schulze said it will be the “litmus test”, with this being the “first time” the decision following Brent Spar will be applied.

Ultimately, the decision to approve the plans lies with the UK government, though it must consult with Ospar. Ms Schulze said: “I hope that all parties to the convention, without exception, are aware of their responsibility and reject Shell’s current plans.

“Otherwise, we throw the gates wide open for unpredictable environmental consequences.”

Shell argues an operation to remove the giant structures would bring a safety risk which, added to the associated costs, would be “disproportionate” to any legacy environmental benefit.

Earlier this week Greenpeace activists scaled the Brent Alpha and the legs of the Brent Bravo protesting Shell’s proposals. Ahead of the meeting, Ms Schulze claimed whatever decision is made on the plans will set a precedent with a “large number of platforms to be decommissioned in the coming years”.

Shell has previously contested this, saying only 27 installations have these structures in the Ospar region. Last week Shell issued a statement ahead of the meeting saying it is an “important opportunity” to hear questions from the Ospar countries and said it is “confident” their proposals are safe and environmentally sound.

“I hope that all parties to the convention... are aware of their responsibility”

PROTEST: Greenpeace activists make their feelings plainly known about Shell’s Brent field plans to leave parts of old oil structures in the sea