Archive for August, 2009
Leaky rig owners knock back Woodside’s help
Owners of the rig leaking oil into the Timor Sea have refused Woodside’s offer of a loan rig.
This rig could cap the leaking oil.
They are bringing their own rig from Singapore to stop the leak by injecting clay into the pipes below the ocean floor.
Minister Martin Fergusson said this is the safer option.
The rig is expected to take another nine days to arrive and start work.
Shadow minister urges swifter oil disaster action
Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the government should step in and manage the oil spill disaster.
He repeated claims by the Greens that the government is covering up the severity of the spill.
He said the rig owners should be made to accept an offer of a spare rig from Woodside, only a few days away, rather than wait for their own rig to arrive from Singapore which will take weeks.
Oil will continue to leak into the ocean until remedial drilling and plugging is done by another oil rig.
Timor Sea: Whales, turtles threatened by oil slick
Witnesses say whales and sea turtles are in immediate danger of poisoning by oil leaking from Atlas rig.
A whale and calf have been spotted by Senator Siewert as she flew over the oil slick yesterday, and a greenback turtle with a tracking device is heading straight to the contaminated zone.
PerthNow [read this story]
Ashmore Reef: More boat people
The Australian navy intercepted a boat with 52 passengers near Ashmore Islands on Saturday.
They are believed to be asylum seekers.
Minister Fergusson denies oil slick claims
Resources Minister Martin Fergusson says oil leaking from West Atlas rig is not 20km from the Kimberley coast.
He was denying a claim by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.
Mr Fergusson said the slick was more than 80 miles from the coast and “rectangular in nature”.
Broome: Shire meeting to heal dolphin row
Broome shire was to meet “local cultural leaders” yesterday to listen to people hurt by the dolphin affair.
Since the shire voted not to “fulfill the obligations of it’s sister-town relationship” with Taiji, in Japan, the Japanese cemetary has been desecrated and the float parade withdrawn from the upcoming Shinju Matsuri festival.
Other Broome people of Asian descent have also complained about the shire decision.
Shire President Graeme Campbell also criticised Sea Shepherd conservation society for not taking these people’s feelings into account.
The West Australian [read this story]
Halls Creek: Town camps to get sealed roads
by Geoff Vivian
Halls Creek shire is finally sealing the roads into Red Hill, Nicholson Block and MacBeath Block.
“These communities really deserve proper urban roads,” said the Shire’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Warren Olsen.
“Until now, the Red Hill community has not had a road at all – just a track across a reserve. more »
Dampier Peninsula: Gas hub ‘just the beginning’
The planned gas hub at James Price Point will make it possible to develop other heavy industry.
The Age’s Paddy Manning says the LNG processing plant will make alumina, lead and zinc smelters and refineries possible.
The Age [read this story]
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