dubious D-6
oil drilling in the baltic
sea
corporation:
lukoil(russia)
“People are newcomers here. We
should behave and protect this wonderful
place for future generations. Oil is a
painful memory for the people living here.
We experienced an oil spill in June of 1983
during the test drillings for the D-6 oil
field. Most of us living here are trying to
protect our clean beaches, sea water, fish
and seabirds from the oil.”
Kazimieras Mizgiris, renowned Lithuanian
photographer and resident of Curonian
Spit.
New on the scene and rapidly expanding
into foreign markets, Russian oil giant
Lukoil is on the verge of extracting
offshore oil near Lithuania’s and Russia’s
extraordinary Curonian Spit National Park,
a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ‘D-6’ oil
deposit, some 22 kilometres from the
Lithuanian coast, is thought to contain
some 24 million tons of oil.
opening pandora’s
box
Environmental NGOs in the Baltic region,
including Friends of the Earth Lithuania,
are concerned about the dangers of
environmental pollution and accidental oil
spills associated with the project.
Curonian Spit is an exceptionally sensitive
ecosystem, and the Baltic Sea is relatively
clean and rich in biodiversity in this
area. Both the Lithuanian and Russian parts
of the Curonian Spit have great potential
for sustainable tourism and nature
protection. Campaigners fear that the
Lukoil project will open a Pandora’s Box
for offshore oil extraction in the Baltic
Sea, and that other companies will flock to
the area.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) granted Lukoil a 165
million Euro working capital loan in May
2000 to bolster the floundering company.
This loan strengthened Lukoil financially,
enabling it to start development of the
controversial D-6 deposit project.
Campaigners have urged the EBRD to freeze
or even withdraw its lending to Lukoil if
the company does not drop this extremely
controversial deal. The Bank, however,
insists that it has no leverage to
influence Lukoil in the areas of
environmental responsibility or corporate
accountability.
For several years, the Russian
government has refused to engage in
dialogue or to provide any information on
the planned D-6 oil extraction, despite
numerous requests from the Lithuanian
government, the Helsinki Commission, the
World Heritage Committee and international
environmental NGOs. Campaigners have now
turned their attention to the European
Union, and are asking the European
Commission to intervene in order to prevent
violations of the Helsinki Convention for
the Protection of Marine Environment in the
Baltic Sea.
The Baltic is one of the world’s
dirtiest seas, and the 80 million people in
the nine countries along its shores already
feel the impacts of this pollution. Oil
extraction, with the inevitable
accompanying spills and accidents, could be
the final drop that overflows the
bucket.
more information:
on
this website
and the
press
release
.
CEE Bankwatch Network:
www.bankwatch.org
FoE Lithuania:
www.zalieji.lt/english/activities/Lukoil
