Shell Withdraws from North Sea Cambo Project

We have fantastic news to share!
 
Royal Dutch Shell has pulled out of the controversial Cambo Oil Field project, off the Shetland Islands. Shell owns 30% of Cambo and its withdrawal could lead to the end of the project.

ELAW Staff Scientist Dr. Heidi Weiskel reviewed the environmental impact assessment for the short-sighted project and BBC News reported her findings in November.
 
Her report concluded:

“Should there be any accident in the 25 years the field is proposed to be in operation, it could prove devastating for many of the invertebrate, fish, marine mammal, and seabird species that have been found in the project area. It could further harm pelagic and coastal food webs in the surrounding waters, not just of the UK, but of neighboring countries that have not agreed to accept this level of risk to their biological resources and whose citizens and governments are not benefiting from the project.”
 
Tessa Khan, director of Uplift says:

“This is the end for Cambo. Shell has seen the writing on the wall. Their statement makes it clear that the economics are against new oil and gas developments. But the widespread public and political pressure is what made Cambo untenable. There is now broad understanding that there can be no new oil and gas projects anywhere if we’re going to maintain a safe climate.”
 
Plans for the oil field development included building a pipeline to export gas from the UK that would cut through the Faroe-Shetland Sponge Belt, a UK Marine Protected Area. ELAW worked with Uplift to review plans for the proposed project.
 
Thanks to Uplift and the many organizations in the UK and around the world that made this victory possible!
 
Find more information in the following:
 
The Guardian, 12/2/21
Shell pulls out of Cambo oilfield project
 
ELAW Bulletin, 11/23/21
Protecting Ocean Habitat

Bern Johnson
Executive Director
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide