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Shell shareholders warned about coalbed plant risks
May 22, 2008
By Ian Austin
The B.C.-based watchdog group Dogwood Initiative has warned Shell Oil shareholders in Europe about risks associated with a proposed coalbed methane plant at the headwaters of the salmon-bearing Stikine, Skeena and Nass rivers.
"This is the case of a risky, unproven industry being proposed in a region that already has a rich economy based on wild salmon," said Dogwood Initiative corporate campaigner Eric Swanson, who posed questions at the multinational oil corporation's annual meeting Tuesday in The Netherlands.
"The people of the region have stated clearly that the minimal benefits of coalbed methane are not worth the tremendous risks to the environment."
The Dogwood Initiative believes Shell should do more testing on environmental impacts of the Klappan Project.
"They're looking to see if there's more gas in the ground, and we're hoping to see the effect on the environment, particularly wild salmon habitat," said Dogwood's Charles Campbell.
Shell Canada Ltd. said it was given tenure from the B.C. government in 2004 to conduct exploration in the area.
"We recognize that local people rely on the salmon fishery, but we have several precautions in place that we use to protect fish, rivers, streams," said Larry Lalonde, Shell Canada spokesman.
"This is a very proven industry," he said. "It just happens to be that we're looking to get gas from coal as opposed to another type of rock.
"The reality is we want to answer questions the community have," he said. "But the way that we answer those questions is through the drilling of exploration wells."
"This is the case of a risky, unproven industry being proposed in a region that already has a rich economy based on wild salmon," said Dogwood Initiative corporate campaigner Eric Swanson, who posed questions at the multinational oil corporation's annual meeting Tuesday in The Netherlands.
"The people of the region have stated clearly that the minimal benefits of coalbed methane are not worth the tremendous risks to the environment."
The Dogwood Initiative believes Shell should do more testing on environmental impacts of the Klappan Project.
"They're looking to see if there's more gas in the ground, and we're hoping to see the effect on the environment, particularly wild salmon habitat," said Dogwood's Charles Campbell.
Shell Canada Ltd. said it was given tenure from the B.C. government in 2004 to conduct exploration in the area.
"We recognize that local people rely on the salmon fishery, but we have several precautions in place that we use to protect fish, rivers, streams," said Larry Lalonde, Shell Canada spokesman.
"This is a very proven industry," he said. "It just happens to be that we're looking to get gas from coal as opposed to another type of rock.
"The reality is we want to answer questions the community have," he said. "But the way that we answer those questions is through the drilling of exploration wells."
