Oil exploration in the Barents Sea

While Norway’s public attention was focussed on the process against assassin Breivik, the Norwegian oil giant Statoil has announced more explorative activity for 2013. 2 or 3 explorative wells are planned for the Hoop field, 250 km north of Sørøya which is near Norway’s North Cape, are planned for the 2013 season. The well are just a good 100 nautical miles southeast of Bear Island.

The swift progress is met with critizism by environmental organisations: the Hoop field is not far from the seasonal ice edge and the ecologically very important polar front, but far from capacities in case of accidents and oil spills.

Source: NRK