# Gran Canaria and the oil industry



## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Whilst every man and his dog, plus the tree huggers and Greenpeace protest to oil exploration off the eastern isles of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, the Canarian port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, have enticed the Norwegian firm of Sub Sea Services, to the Puerto de La Luz.

Perhaps whilst they are servicing, the oil industry, they might also service the Greenpeace, vessels 

Place in sun for Sub Sea Services -Upstreamonline.com


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## jonmlb748 (Oct 30, 2011)

same happening here in the Balearics .protesting that the islands are too beautiful an area to allow oil and gas exploration ,personally I feel as we all consume we should all accept the consequences that entails .or should we drill for oil only in the ugly parts of the world?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I'd rather see money being invested in newer, cleaner forms of energy that don't make a very small part of the human race very rich, and that also in the general run of things don't destroy beautiful places - or ugly ones come to that!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I'd rather see money being invested in newer, cleaner forms of energy that don't make a very small part of the human race very rich, and that also in the general run of things don't destroy beautiful places - or ugly ones come to that!



Of course, the Greenpeace NIMBY's should use sails instead of diesel engines……...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hepa said:


> Of course, the Greenpeace NIMBY's should use sails instead of diesel engines……...


Maybe, or maybe that would just be silly 
Being green doesn't mean extremes, it means using resouces well
Something I posted on the infamous Climate thread...



> But being eco/ green/ environmentally aware doesn't mean parking your brain at your earth home door as many people seem to think. In fact it means using your brain more if anything to think about your life, the life of others and the planet that we all live in (the word share purposely not used as it seems to me we really do not share the resources that we have).
> So of course, in today's society we need a car in most environments, but do we need it to go to the shop which is ten minutes away on foot? Not if we're going to get the paper (my father every day for at least 25 years). Does it make sense to go to three different supermarkets by car to get each one's special offers totalling a saving of 5€? Are you really doing your child a favour by taking them to school every day by car when the school is again a 10 min walk away(numerous neighbours). OK, it's raining, let's take the car. OK we're late, get the car out. I don't believe in obsession, but I do believe in thinking about what we do and how it effects us, others and the planet. Sometimes we decide one way and sometimes the other, but there should be reasons behind what we do beyond "because I want to and I can"
> IMHO, of course


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

We cannot afford to be Green in the Canary Islands, we have 36% unemployment, prior to the present crisis we were pulling out of recession, the Spanish Government imposed more taxes and stopped the recovery. The new base for the servicing of none Green oil rigs and oil exploration vessels will directly or indirectly create new jobs, and could provide much needed stimulation to a stagnating economy.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hepa said:


> We cannot afford to be Green in the Canary Islands, we have 36% unemployment, prior to the present crisis we were pulling out of recession, the Spanish Government imposed more taxes and stopped the recovery. The new base for the servicing of none Green oil rigs and oil exploration vessels will directly or indirectly create new jobs, and could provide much needed stimulation to a stagnating economy.


This is the usual argument. We can't be green because it's too expensive and we need jobs now. It seems to me that is is a very short term view, like not using low energy light bulbs because they're more expensive than traditional ones.

I don't live in the islands as Hepa does, but it seems to me that something that could seriously damage the natural surroundings of the Islands is not to be taken lightly given that most islanders earn their living through tourism directly (scuba diving for example) or indirectly. Apart from that it makes more sense to me, Joe Blogs, to invest in anything that doesn't damage the environment, benefits everyone and improves quality of life all round, rather than use money on an action that benefits few and actually damages many.

I would like to see more thinking outside the box. Money should be invested in opening up new channels of employment and diversifying the possible opportunities for Canarians, for example

gaming technology
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/estudio-de-videojuegos-2d-y-3d-en-gran-canaria

Low cost online supermarkets
Inicio

Buying and selling of companies
sobre nosotros, que podra hacer, objetivos, neustros valores, proceso de compra-venta, servicios a medida: MercoPym Espa?a

all based in the Canaries.

This goes for mainland Spain too - less dependence on tourism and Zara. Get into growth industries.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> This is the usual argument. We can't be green because it's too expensive and we need jobs now. It seems to me that is is a very short term view, like not using low energy light bulbs because they're more expensive than traditional ones.
> 
> I don't live in the islands as Hepa does, but it seems to me that something that could seriously damage the natural surroundings of the Islands is not to be taken lightly given that most islanders earn their living through tourism directly (scuba diving for example) or indirectly. Apart from that it makes more sense to me, Joe Blogs, to invest in anything that doesn't damage the environment, benefits everyone and improves quality of life all round, rather than use money on an action that benefits few and actually damages many.
> 
> ...


The drilling for oil and the harvesting of the oil, with the exception of the Gulf of Mexico disaster, have not in the main caused the many oil spills.

Most have been caused by transporting the oil products, in sub standard vessels un regulated, flying flags of convenience, crewed by untrained and inexperienced seafarers from third world countries.

At any one time one can count on various ship tracking websites, dozens of oil tankers passing through Canary Island waters, and not one protester.

About one month ago, the Moroccans, prospected successfully for oil in waters adjacent to the Canary Islands, again not one protester.

The port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, has for many years been servicing the oil industry, this additional Norwegian company using the port, which is geographically ideally situated off the coast of West Africa, enabling the servicing of such vessels in a politically stable, pirate free, environment. Co existing less, than a mile away, is the huge tourist industry, situated around Las Canteras beach and the part of the port where the many cruise liners visit. No oil pollution on the beach, both industries existing together.

Meanwhile the oil prospecting goes ahead, because the government in Madrid, some 1000 miles to the north, and on another continent, have decreed that it will.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hepa said:


> The drilling for oil and the harvesting of the oil, with the exception of the Gulf of Mexico disaster, have not in the main caused the many oil spills.
> 
> Most have been caused by transporting the oil products, in sub standard vessels un regulated, flying flags of convenience, crewed by untrained and inexperienced seafarers from third world countries.
> 
> ...


+++


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

95% of the Canarian population are vehemently against oil prospecting, however they all drive cars and use electricity.

The Canarian government have threatened to break off diplomatic relations with the dictators in Madrid, who refused to allow a referendum on the oil prospecting.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hepa said:


> 95% of the Canarian population are vehemently against oil prospecting, however they all drive cars and use electricity.
> 
> The Canarian government have threatened to break off diplomatic relations with the dictators in Madrid, who refused to allow a referendum on the oil prospecting.


Ahh. I assumed that the Canarian govt were for the oil prospecting.

People need cars (usually) and it would be very difficult to live without electricity, but that doesn't mean they are pro oil. If they had the choice many would prefer to explore other energy sources, but the people don't choose do they? It's the politicians that they voted in that get to choose.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Ahh. I assumed that the Canarian govt were for the oil prospecting.
> 
> People need cars (usually) and it would be very difficult to live without electricity, but that doesn't mean they are pro oil. If they had the choice many would prefer to explore other energy sources, but the people don't choose do they? It's the politicians that they voted in that get to choose.


Quite so, but they are still the Not In My Back Yard, they are quite willing to import oil from the Caribbean and allow others to drill off their pristine beaches, rather than address what problems if any there may be from prospecting 70 miles offshore.

Whilst I do not agree with the protesters against the oil exploration, I am saddened that the government in Madrid did not consult with the population of the Canary Islands, ironically the Minister in charge, Jose Manuel Soria, is from Las Palmas, I wonder how he will fare in the next election. I sense that the Nationalists here will gain ground, for there are those that would like an independent Canary Islands, with closer links to the African Countries


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

A link to El Pais

Three out of four Canarian residents oppose offshore oil exploration | In English | EL PAÍS


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