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CASE STUDYSUNK COSTS : The

Plan to Dump the Brent Spar

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CASE STUDY

Faced with the need to dispose of an offshore oil storageinstallation, the Royal Dutch Shell Corporation developswhat it believes is a straightforward and sensible plan: todump the oil platform deep in the ocean, 150 miles offthe northwest coast of Scotland. Doing so avoids a

number of problems, including potential environmentalthreats involved with transporting it and otherwisedisposing of it. The British government agrees but theunprecedented plan sparks outrage among environmentalgroups. The case describes the successful advocacy

campaign waged by the international environmentalgroup Greenpeace, which turned the Brent Spar plan intoa cause celebre, and the efforts of Shell to counter itscritics.

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BRENT SPAR

Brent Spar was a North Sea oil storageand tanker loading buoy in the Brent oilfield, operated

by Shell UK.

Brent Spar became an issue of public concern in 1995,

when the British government announced its support

for Shell's application for disposal in

deep Atlantic waters at North Feni

Ridge (approximately 250 km from the west coast of

Scotland, at a depth of around 2.5 km).

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GREENPEACE

Greenpeace became aware of the plan to sink the

Brent Spar at sea.

campaigning against ocean dumping in the North Sea

since the early 1980s, using high-seas tactics tophysically hinder the dumping of radioactive waste

and waste from titanium dioxide production, and

lobbying for a comprehensive ban on ocean

dumping.

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Greenpeace objected to the plan to dispose of the

Brent Spar at sea on a number of issues:

lack of understanding of the deep sea environment.

dumping the Brent Spar at sea would create

a precedent for dumping other contaminated

structures in the sea and would undermine currentinternational agreements. The environmental effects

of further dumping would be cumulative.

Dismantling of the Brent Spar was technically feasible

minimizing the generation of wastes should be

upheld and harmful materials always recycled,

treated or contained.

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Reactions in Europe

Germany- publicity over shells plans drew animmediate public reaction.

Organized a grassroots protest movements

including churches, politicians and localpoliticians to boycott Shells gasoline stations.

UK- took out ads in the national newspaper

demanding shell to accept its corporateresponsibility to public.

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MISTAKES

Greenpeace overstated its case with incorrect

data calculated from measurements taken from

the storage tanks.

Greenpeace scientists were given the wrong

information regarding the depths that the

samples were taken.

Instead of the depths being measured at the topof the storage tanks, they were taken from the

top of vent pipes that gave access to tanks.

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CONCLUSION

Greenpeace had grossly overestimated the

amount of oil left on board.

Shells assessment of the quantities of oil,

radioactivity, and toxic metals in the Spar were

broadly correct.