Protesters oppose Otago drilling plans

People objecting to international energy giant OMV’s plans to drill in the Great South Basin walk around a mock drilling rig in the upper Octagon during a protest yesterday.

PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN
PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN
About 50 people took part in the noon protest. 

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Where there is demand there will be supply. OFO is wrestling the wrong end of the Tiger. At that height I hope there is a DCC permit for that structure in a public place, should have cones placed in a 5 metre radius, 4 guy-wires for stability, reflective vests and danger signs around the perimeter, not to mention an engineers report for structual compliance and an environmental impact report just to make sure the grass is ok. Added to that an emergency evacuation plan in case of an earthquake. A hefty fine to go with the OMV trespass notice! Terribly risky, *smirk*

My goodness, at that rate deepwater drilling off Otago should be entirely ruled out on health and safety grounds alone.

Ever worked on a gas field, or even visited one? The amount of safety protocol is mind blowing, and yet, it can still fail, because, we're human. Best intentions, best practices, best efforts, but we're human, humans hunting energy, because it's in very very high demand by all of us. Maybe take a visit to the Congo or Bolivia, check their 'safety' systems? In the meantime, feel free to come up with a better way to power the globe.

Nice selection of pictures to go with the phrase drilling for gas". The Deepwater Horizon disaster is totally relevant to the present situation.

There are risks in all we do. And we learn from our mistakes. As Google, Tesla, Apple and other tech companies grapple with a current law suit in regard to childen killed in mines in the Congo harvesting cobalt for the Lithium batteries our cell phones and electric cars run on, we see that modern technology is happy to risk the lives of the poor and the innocent....and the environment. Take a look at what is happening in Bolivia right now. I say it again Sue, in order to live our current lives, we must share the global risk and demand for energy. Surely you're not proposing that we stop drilling here, but allow the abuses of kids and depleted environments in other places? All very well sitting on a mock rig in a Wally costume, but look at what is actually going on. Maybe you lot would be better asking the experts to visit the rig, talk to the very qualified engineers about what it is they actually do to deliver the resources WE ALL demand. You should be shaking their hands, without them taking risks, our current economies would decend to chaos. Energy gained by qualified adults or abuse of children Sue?

I would love to see there plans for a post "fossil fuel" economy.

Wouldn't we all! All very well OFO jumping up and down waving arms, stamping feet and calling foul in regard OMV exploration drilling, Where are the plans for the future? Where are the alternatives? Where is the plan for a smooth transition for our economy and environment? All we see is a bloke dressing like a cartoon clown playing hide and seek avoiding a trespass notice, or people strapping themselves to ships crying for attention. Nothing more than childish acts and playing to media for sheer entertainment rather than offering tangable solutions for a serious situation. If OFO had something to offer, people may just take notice. In the meantime, I hope the testing goes well and our economy prospers for Otago and wider NZ, all from the hard work and efforts from those on the decks of OMV.

Wow 50 people. Clearly a non issue then.

Anyone 'driving' to the protest would feel like a hypocrite wouldn't they? *smirk* And to add insult to a protestors injury, it takes a minimum of 15 litres of fossil fuel to make a car tyre, so even a pedal car or bicycle is a 'sin'. Oil Free Otago has no solutions, only a Wally on a pedestal telling us we don't want drills here. Jack treats the issue as a joke, he has become the joke.

Wow. I really can't believe that we're letting this drilling go ahead. It's time we gave up on this whole clean green New Zealand image. It's total BS.

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