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Subscribe to RSSShell, the global oil and gas company, sued more than a dozen environmental groups that oppose offshore oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reported. The environmental groups hope to block Shell’s plans to drill exploratory wells this summer in the Chukchi Sea, between Alaska and Russia.
The idea behind the suits, filed in U.S. District Court in Anchorage, is to beat environmental activists to court. Shell has already spent $4 billion on the project but has not yet started drilling.
“This is a very unique legal approach. I’m not sure anything like this has ever been done before,” Shell spokeswoman Kelly op de Weegh told the LA Times.
Shell, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, targeted, among others, the National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club and Greenpeace, which last week sent six activists, including the actress Lucy Lawless, to protest aboard an oil rig in New Zealand. According to AlaskaDispatch.com, Shell is also seeking damages from Greenpeace for its protest occupation.
Actress Lucy Lawless arrested in oil-ship protest
PDF: Shell seeks restraining order against Greenpeace
Whit Sheard, a senior adviser for Oceana, told the LA Times he doesn’t believe Shell has adequately met the requirements of the law.
“This cleanup plan, just like their previous cleanup plans, is woefully inadequate, based on technology that has never been proven, and continues to be too risky for the Arctic environment,” Sheard said.
He added: “What are they trying to do, get the courts to declare something legal that hasn’t been challenged as illegal? It seems premature, and potentially unnecessary.”
BP oil spill trial postponed as settlement talks make progress
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
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What the 1% and their corporate shields will do to pursue wealth makes the rest of us sick. We are learning daily why others are occupying http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49z3cheFN20
About freaking time...
Well that video was a waste of my time.
I find it funny that the very social structure that allows people like you to so vehemently protest against is the only reason you CAN.
Our entire society is based off cheap oil and there is no alternative that works yet. All these environmentalist groups do is try to stop any and all production regardless of the need. In many cases these groups (yes the ones specifically named in this article) have sued knowing full well, AND ADMITING IT, they would not win the lawsuit. But the goal was to cost more money and time for these companies. So the company premtpively sueing them makes sense to me, since we already know these radical groups would do anything to stop these companies.
Case in point they send a bunch of actors to illegally protest the company and cause financial damage to the company. We need to stop being so unrealistic about these things. We will not now or anytime soon stop using oil, won't happen. Until we have a reasonable alternative we can't just stop using gas, everything is based off gas (and cheap gas) so the only answer is to keep drilling and keep researching new technology.
Everyone of the listed groups (and 2 dozen unlisted) should be listed as terrorist organizations and their leaders should be permanently in Guantanamo Bay...They do way more damage every year to this nation and evey nation on the planet than Al-Qaeda would approve of...Millions of people starving to death because some "treehugger" found a minnow or a moss that is more important than human life
Screw the legal system. If people keep relying on lawmakers and the courts, we may as well baste ourselves and hop in the oven before the GOP gets hitler junior in office.
But what am I even doing? I'm talking to people who love their god and their guns more than defenseless people and animals....people who sit on their asses letting corporations stroke them off with one hand and stab them in the back with the other, and these half wits in law enforcement and management and media think they're "In" on the plan to screw us, in on this big game to kill most of us and a chunk of non human life....boy won't they be surprised when they're just as obsolete as we are.
It's a nightmare, like being in a three legged race with a rabid dog or jack the ripper. How do you fight this when nobody gives a s'hit? Laugh, go right ahead and laugh...it's your ONLY chance to, and I'll have mine. Right before they come and screw you like they screw the defenseless animals today, NOTHING will change this species' stripes. Not religion, not science. NOTHING. Bunch of good for nothing demons and the few lost souls GODdamn unfortunate to be born in this trash heap called mankind. Go right ahead and cling to Gandhi and Einstein and mother Theresa and Jesus as good examples of mankind...cause they're ALL you've got.
God protects the Soul and guns defend the Body. If people are "Defenseless" its their own fault.
When gasoline hits $4.00, $4.50, $5.00 a gallon this summer and poor people, minorities, and the elderly don't have enough money to feed their families and are barely scraping by who's fault will that be?
By the way whats the Logo on Your P.C. and what do you think is powering it? Who is your DSL or Broadband Provider? Are you watching TV and whats the Brand? Do you drive a Car? Do you like to listen to music on your I-Pod or mp3 player? What do you think pays for websites Like MSNBC and the Big three TV networks, NBC, ABC, CBS, maybe advertising that is being bought by big bad corporations?
If your so against corporations I'm sure there is a cave somewhere you could move into. Maybe you can smash up some Berries and draw a mural on the wall. You can call it an I-Wall.
The very same people trying to STOP drilling are using oil to get to the drilling sites in an attempt to stop the drilling!!??
Nutcases don't even see where their bread is buttered...basically an extension of the "occupy" movement - and nobody that is for any type of economic improvement or job creation.
No environmental organization is suggesting that people live in caves; however we do need to use our energy resources more efficiently, develop alternative energy sources more rapidly, and avoid energy development in certain environmentally sensitive areas.
Yes they are trying to make a profit, that is how capitalism works, in case you didn't know. Now why would anyone be opposed to them drilling in the Arctic? Beats the heck out of me, maybe you hippies enjoy paying $5 a gallon for gas.
How about 50 people out of work for 6 months + because a (as in a single animal) hawk made a nest in a derelict ship that was slated for recycling...they were not even permitted to relocate the bird...2000 dead in New Oreleans because Sierra Club had lawsuits preventing levee improvements by the ACoE, because shrimp might have been endagered by the work...the list goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on
Good for Shell! It's about time some one started suing this (so-called) environmentalists that they can be held accountable for their actions (tactics). Just listen to them ... We don't want nuclear energy; we don't want oil drilling any where, we don't want natural gas; we don't want coal or wood. So! What do you want? No need to answer, you want us to continue sending money to Muslim countries that then turn around and use the oil money to support terrorist organizations.
FYI - Remember Obama's Libya Oil war? Think it was not? Well, we now are getting 6ths of 1 percent of our oil from Libya. Until BHO's Oil war, we had not bought a drop of oil from Libya in decades. Obviously BHO's Libya Oil War is helping big industry and Wall Street.
As for the comment about the one percent. Why perpetuate Obama great lie? Visit our IRS Website. The latest figures available are for 2009. You will see that 9 tenths of one percent of the 3,000,000 richest people do not pay their fair share.
I also notice you have no problem with the 46,000,000 that are living off of the state. Why aren't you crying they are not paying their fair share?
A major oil company prematurely going on the legal offensive against environmental groups. Must make Fox News commentators -- as well as right-wing talking heads like Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh -- happy to announce this type of news to their majority Republican, "Drill Baby, Drill," advocates. As if this tactic is going to magically lower the price of fuel at the pump, right?
Well said David Noah! It really is too bad it falls on deaf ears or should I say on the blind eyes. What I wonder is how much technological advances has been lost due to big corps buying the patents or strong arming it out of existence? We know it goes on. I'm not a tree hugger and I'm all for technological advancement, but how much farther would we be if big corporations weren't so greedy with technology? Anytime they get wind something that's going to take some of their profits, they go after the idea and try to prove it's unfounded.
That's a great way to draw more people out to protest, sooner than would have on projects. Haven't protested before this but this will now bring me out for Keystone etc. All those 'jobs' Transamerica speaks of -- that's not real numbers at all. It's the typical fake out making it sound better than it truly is. You can read on existing projects and see the habit of BSing.
It also now means no more purchase of Shell product for family or business needs. In their pre-emptive strike -- they're going to hurt themselves. The right wingnuts will be jerking themselves off in excitement but Shell and warning to any others -- you've underestimated what you're going to face. Add the fact knowing where they are talking about, also is not far from Canadian land/waters. Shell doing this will hurt themselves there too. Shell -- the stunned and stupid corp.
The oil corps and the GOP whine but there are thousands of drill sites/leases that the oil companies have never touched. They have more leases than they could ever handle yet they all whine like its so bad and they don't have lease sites. Understand - the oil companies would screw over their mother in a heartbeat.
all I really cared about was this portion of that article
lets get those foreign oil companies away from our domestic oil supplies.
Once they get their greedy hands on our domestic oil, it is now "imported, foreign oil" which will make even drilling our domestic oil useless in our goal of reducing our dependency upon imported, foreign oil.
We need domestic oil companies doing any and all drilling of our domestic supplies. Why is a foreign company allowed to even look at our domestic supplies while we attempt to reduce our dependency upon "imported, foreign" oil drilled on US territories????
What the hell are our elected and appointed government officials thinking?????
I don't recognize hardly any of the names above...
I think the majority of you are PAID REPUBLICAN BLOGGERS!!!!!
Shell purchased a patent from a guy who built an engine that could run 100 miles on a gallon of gas over 50 years ago.
The guy who they purchased this patent from was found dead in his vehicle from a single gunshot wound.
But, somehow Shell has his patent..
Makes you say hmmm....
Also, Saying drill, drill, drill is somewhat adolescent.
This is also the most careless way to get things done.
The Republican's way of winning an argument is by calling names... Ex. Tree Huggers & liberals
Stop listening to the Republicans Shallow examples for what our energy strategy should be.
They only care about money.
What we need to do is go to the drawing board and come up with an effective strategy that is not short term like the one being proposed.
Shell has enough money but,we should place additional tarfifs on this company if it wants to drill anywhere near the US or if it wants to operate in America.
I don't believe we have balanced trade agreements with the Netherlands.
Also, if it's not an American company paying American taxes then SHELL can kick ROCKS!!!!
P-Laya, perhaps you would like to provide proof of your assertion that:
I can't believe the irresponsible garbage that gets posted for all the world to see.
Both sides have crossed the line. For every hawk that cost $1,000,000 unnecessarily, one can easily find a spill or accident that cost more. For a bunch of shrimp to stop levy work we can point to years of shrimp harvests that have been devastated. We can't and shouldn't stop drilling and cannot let oil companies run rampant, drilling wherever they please.
So our only choice is to fight it out each and every time.
But what does make me puke, is when people try to paint the picture of these honest, innocent, "We have your backs" oil companies that have been taken advantage so by the environmentalists. What crap.
@recycled hope
An FYI, even domestic companies sell their oil to the ighest bidder in the world market. Nothing is sold domestically. We export it then re-import it back. Thats how the oil companies like it because they either get a better price outside to country or get paid twice to export then re-import it. That is why any new drilling that goes on wont have any real bearing on the cost of gas in the US. the price will only go higher. The only thing that will help us is renewable energy and more efficiant alternatives, the problem is, noone seems to want to develop them.
I wish we would have $8-13 per gallon gas,,,no better yet 13-16 for about 6 months, just enough time to let these eco nuts and the rest of our spoiled populace have a taste of what it could be like to have to pay the higher price of oil and all its derivatives because of the added costs brought about by the negative influences from the hollywood goof balls(whom I believe are just trying to get publicity and self promotion primarily). You realize that the elitist multi millionaires that help lead these pathetic groups are not adverse to paying 16 per gallon because "they can". 16 a gallon no big deal for the follywooders. But hey they are the enlightened and smart because they are tv. F%$# them, I say, a minimum year in the drunk tank for the trespassing idiots.
If the potential oil field is more than 200 miles off the coast of Alaska the environmental wack jobs can go pound sand. I think Shell has a great idea here. The other oil companies should do the same. Bankrupt these freaks. Then they won't have the funds to pay for $5 gas. Idiots.
Democrat for drilling our own oil and telling the rest of the world to piss off.
They are only doing that now because they think they have enough influence within the government to push beyond what reasonable people would accept. Moxy...just like the personhood legislation.
Kelly,
Thank you for breaking the news that the oil companies have so much influence within the present government. I'm sending you the bill for the chocolate milk I just sprayed all over my computer screen.
Energy is the currency of the modern age. It is foolish not to use what resources we have available.
It is also foolish not to develop and exploit new sources. There have been astonishing developments in solar, tidal, and even wind power in the last 5 years that dramatically increase their effectiveness and lower their cost. There are fusion plants under construction, right now, in real life not science fiction. We're on the verge of an energy revolution.
But for the time being... oil is still where it's at. If we play it right, we can ride through on cheap fossil fuels and convert to other sources just as they start to run dry.
Fusion is still theoretical, due to that little problem of nothing in existence being capable of handling the extreme heat produced by a fusion reaction. Where the hell did you get your news from?
The ITER project seems to be doing well. Not just theoretical, the science is quite sound.
From Wikipedia, if you're not inclined to look it up yourself:
ITER is a proof-of-concept reactor. The power it creates isn't intended for consumers. DEMO will be a 2000 megawatt reactor, which is quite respectable, but still not enough to compete with fossil fuel plants.
But it's clean energy, and virtually limitless. Need more power? Just build more. No need for environment-destroying mines and waste dumps. And they're being built now, not sometime in the far future.
Oh boy another person who gets all his knowledge with a search engine and wikipedia. Go read the real research papers and you will find that even the scientists advocating this do not know how well it will work. That is why they are building a test reactor.
The key problem even the scientist admit is that the small plants are not cost effective and they do not know how large they can scale the technology.
There is a huge difference between being able to do something and it being economically feasible. We have the technology to go mine minerals on the moon but even for wikipedia readers it should be obvious why nobody does it.
DOJ, Obama admin, ACLU, Immigrant rights group etc. are suing Arizona, Arkansas, Ohio etc.. for their Illegal immigration bills claiming they will lead to "Racism" and "racial profiling" before they can even be implemented.
DOJ and other groups etc. file lawsuits to stop new laws passed by States to require voters to show an ID when Voting in their state proving they are a U.S. citizen even before the laws go into affect.
When Boeing goes to build a new manufacturing plant in SC the NLRB files a complaint to try and prevent Boeing from opening a plant in a right to work state.
It seems like if you don't file a preemptive lawsuit before you start to do something your going to end up in a Legal battle anyways. Might as well be on the 'offensive" and hit them with the lawsuits before they hit you.
Is it any wonder Manufacturing, business's, etc. are going over sees?
The first thing you have to do before you can even start a new adventure is higher a team of lawyers to try and figure out who is going to be the first to sue you. If you can get past that then you need another team to help you navigate the regulations and help make sure your in compliance with the FEC, SEC, EPA, ACLU, OSHA, NRLB, ADA, etc.
After all that, you have to hope you can get a loan underwritten by the government, because private banks aren't going to risk money in the private sector with all those hurdles the private sector has to deal with.
That's what happens when 80% of the last 80 years of lawmakers have been lawyers...
I hope this is a sucessful tactic. The environmentalists have too much influence.
There is no reason to drill there. We already have plenty of oil; America currently exports more oil than it imports. There are dozens of approved drilling sites across our nation that DO NOT interfere with protected lands, that haven't even been touched yet.
The only reason the oil companies are suing to drill there instead of utilizing the untouched reserves they already have, is to empower the Republicans who stuff their pockets and say "f*** you" to Obama.
why don't you ask the people of Alaska what they think of your view? You may well not like their response..
Cameron, since when is your opinion an edict? There are legal challenges to be made and decisions to be made. Thankfully simpletons like you are not onvolved in this process
Whatever you're smoking you need to share
Actually no, satan is not winning. That's the good news. These selfish greedy folks will find out soon but not soon enough.
Ford, We export more than we import? Out of all the comments, that has got to be the most funny. How old are you 12?
Satan continues to ravish the land, the greed, prejudice and selfishness is winning.
Shell needs to stop drilling and cut the bull****! Drilling for oil isn't the answer, we need clean energy. If we don't protect our planet we might as well call ourselves unintelligent and extinct. We aren't showing it. We would be intelligent if we actually tried mass developing clean technology and not fighting back and forth like little children. Greed is the enemy and if I can hamper it and promote and encourage clean tech, I will. Wait till I finally am able to afford an electric vehicle that the oil companies make sure to keep those price tags up. I'll become independant and no longer will need to rely on their oil that is destroying our planet. I'm an enviromentalist too, sue me you greedy bastards.
bla bla bla .....you cant power the US on your green bull
Why not buy a Chevy Volt.. is the $10K rebate that the Federal Government (the taxpayers) provides not enough incentive for you? Look at all the money the EU has spent on "green energy" How is that working out for Spain and Germany?
In the meantime, there is nothing preventing you from using a bicycle to show the "greedy bastards".
Say goodbye to the lawlessness of the pseudo 'environmentalist' groups.
Those groups are the new 'mafia'.
I hope shell goes bankrupt before they ever drill anywhere near the arctic.
We've been over this. If you're in the 47% who pay zero income tax, or net a profit at tax time, you aren't allowed to group yourself with the 53% who pay your bills. There is no 1%. 53% contribute. 47% steal infrastructure and services they didn't pay for.
Twisted, quit bring up that Bull manure. Everyone pays taxes. Now 47% may not be paying Federal Income tax, but to say they pay zero income tax, is wrong. Everyone pays taxes, gas tax, sales tax,(some states no tax) state income tax (9 states no income tax), property tax, school levy's, and etc etc.
lol.... so funny ..the green kooks get a taste of there own medicine ....lol
If I honestly believed Shell was going to do anything that would lower the price of oil 1 cent I might think about allowing Shell to drill in U.S. waters. However, we all know that's not going to happen. There is a huge glut of oil in the market right now and gasoline prices are at record highs. There is no supply and demand that plays any part in the price of oil. The oil companies all allow OPEC to set the price and they just add on to it whatever they can. If there is any blowback the oil companies just blame everthing on the Arabs who are just operating a thieving black market that operates exploitatively in the international legal world that the 1% control. I own a Prius and my bill is about $150.00 a month about the same as it was in 1980. I drive a lot for work. I can't wait for Chevy's lithium ion battery to come out that will kick the Japanese's ass and I can drive American again. Soon, there will be a sharp correction in oil prices once the cheating begins, it always does, and we can get back to $2.00 gas. By next fall oil prices will be back to $50 a barrel and falling. Did you ever think a good bottle of wine would cost less than half a gallon of gas? A bottle of $2. Buck Chuck is drinkable.
interesting how we can do so much, technologically speaking, but can't come up with a viable option to compete with the fossil fuel powered internal combustion engine. I know they are half-assing around with the electric cars that still use fossil fuel but get great mileage but then you have to deal with the battery issues and the prices are not down to where the people who need the good mileage can afford to pay. Are they still even teasing with hydrogen cars? I typically make fun of the conspiracy people but it sure seems like some technology must be getting suppressed somewhere along the line. Big oil is a powerful thing. I'm guessing, though, that even when they do start heavily mass producing alternative automobiles, they'll find a way to fk us and keep us paying high prices that we can barely afford.
Has anyone Evered asked themselves why a gallon of gas cost more than a thousand cubic feet of Natural Gas? A 30 day to a 60 day moratorium on US oil exports. yes and gas, would bring the price at the pump back to a 1.70 per gal. Yes I am a well owner,x27 and only get a 260. per, Wall Street gets the rest! anyone want to argue my point?
all the little piggies with their piggy ways....if shell thinks they can stop the environmental movement they are pulling their own chains, this will only strengthen the movement and increase its numbers. read about what a nice way shell has treated the niger river delta in their efforts to make the planet safe for ceo's
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10313107
Since the environmental extremists use the courts to stop the extraction and use of the mineral wealth of our country, it makes good sense to use the courts to fight the extremists. Wouldn't it be nice if these groups and their membership could be held financially responsible for the losses suffered by companies engaged in the lawful of their trade.
Go Shell! Sue 'em back to the Stone Ages!
We need to have a national gas charge card... The environmentalists will be charged European style $8.00 a gallon, and $2.50 a gallon for the rest os us! I wonder how many true Environmentalists there will be in America?!
All oil companies need to be nationalized globally. No private company should have control a assets needed for life or national security. That's Oil, Air and Water.
Right, Ed. It will all be better under the One World Government. Surely the politicians that have made such a mess of running individual countries will do a better job running a planet.
I don't blame the Arabs for the price of oil, it's their product to sell at the price they want just as you have the right to sell your product if you have a marketable item. It is the speculators and ceos. that have to show investors a good return on their investments that are causing the pain. It's all a game, why is propane so high when farmers hardly used any last fall? Seems they always have a reason to turn the screws.
Well, that's good, because they don't set the price of oil, anyway. The market does. At best, they can control how much of it they sell. But they can't set the price. They can only control production.
Unfortunately for them, cartels always fail, historically, and OPEC is no exception. There is always an incentive, by each cartel member, to "cheat" on quotas and sell more under the table.
In fact, in OPEC it is now a long-running joke how the quotes agreed upon are exceeded.
Since the dark days of the 1973 oil embargo, Arab countries have loaded themselves up with debt - assuming that high oil prices would always exist and allow them to service this debt (wrong!). So many of these countries now HAVE to sell lots of oil, just to stay afloat.
The high price of oil today is cause by high demand - worldwide. 5 Billion Chinese are learning to drive (badly) and all buying cars and using oil. This could double consumption worldwide. What is amazing is that oil prices are not higher than they are.
When are these environmental groups going to learn how to play the game instead of acting like petulant children? The kind of stunts they pull certainly don't garner support from the general public. Maybe this move by Shell will teach them something about how to play the game and actually accomplish something instead of just making asses of themselves on the world stage. At this point Greenpeace is just a joke that I'm sure most ration environmentalist would not want anything to do with. When they let Zena go climbing around on a drill rig they just come off looking like a bunch of nuts!
Its about time these companies started fighting back against these extremest groups.
Whoo hooo!!!! Go get 'em Shell!!!! A company providing jobs to American workers and trying to develop new opportunities for jobs versus organizations defeating job development!!
Send Shell Executives to "Occupy" Greenpeace Offices. When Greenpeace objects to this disruption of their business, just look them in the face and say, "We're just exercising our first amendment rights!"
The shoe is on the other foot. Shell is just doing what the environmental groups do - stating expensive and tortuous litigation - in a venue of their own choosing.
Look on the bright side, at least in this instance, Shell isn't encouraging local governments to torture people....
Greenpeace offices aren't public spaces.
Declaratory judgment actions aren't the realm of environmental groups alone. It's pretty common.
Shell doesn't torture people. They use local militias to kill people. So I guess the upside is that at least they don't torture them before they kill them.
I'm no Greenpeace activist, but I'm also not so blind to think that either one of these people is the "good guy" or should be hailed.
Yeah?, I'm sure you will provide proof that Shell used local militia to kill people. Obviously, a person of your integrity would not post something as egregious as that without proof.