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Press Release

Oil Spill Reality Check: New Oil Rigs or New Fuels

June 15, 2010 – Toronto – The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) issued its top ten list of offshore oil sites at risk today highlighting the world’s choice between building more offshore oilrigs or new sustainable biofuels plants. 

“The choice is clear,” said Global Renewable Fuels Alliance spokesperson, Bliss Baker. “ We can continue to put our precious resources at risk by drilling deeper and further out to sea or we can build new biofuels plants that can reduce the need for this dangerous practice,” said Mr. Baker. “We can choose clean-ups or clean fuel.”

Global ethanol production is expected to hit 85.9 billion litres (22.6 b gallons) in 2010 or about 1 million barrels per day. In 2010 the ethanol industry alone will displace the need for over 370 million barrels of oil. That is the equivalent to replacing 100 offshore rigs that produce 10,000 barrels per day.

“This disaster in the Gulf is our wake-up call,” said Baker. “We have enormous potential today to grow sustainable biofuels from a variety of feedstocks.  According to a Department of Energy Study, the U.S. alone could produce up to 494 billion litres (130b gallons) of cellulosic ethanol,” declared Mr. Baker.  

The GRFA’s list of offshore drilling activity or potential activity includes several sites that operate in ecologically sensitive areas that would spell disaster should there be another blow out.  The list includes:

1. U.S. Gulf States
   The current leak will mark one of the world’s worst oil disasters once capped.  Estimates put the current clean-up bill at $1.43Billion with much more anticipated. Conservative estimate of oil spilled is 19,000 to 60,000 barrels per day. There are currently over 800 manned rigs operating on the Gulf.
   
   
2. Australia – Margaret River (Australia’s South West Coast)
   The recently approved exploration area off the coast of Margaret River is the same site that was earmarked for a potential marine sanctuary.
   
    
3. U.S. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) - Area 1002
   ANWR is the largest protected wilderness area in the US. The area is the most ecologically diverse part of Alaska.  There is no adequate plan for responding to a blowout in the Arctic Ocean and drilling is currently on hold.
   
   
   
4. Canada – Orphan Basin, Newfoundland
   Located 430km northeast of St. John’s, drilling is underway on the deepest exploration well ever drilled in Canadian waters – ultra-deep water drilling is considered a risky practice.
   
   
   
5. Australia – Montara - Timor Sea
   Following a blowout from the Montara wellhead platform in 2009, the leak was capped after several weeks marking one of Australia’s worst oil disasters. The Montara oil well had no blowout preventer on the sea floor.  This area is home to several endangered species.  Drilling in the region continues today.
   
   
   
6. North Sea – West Coast of Shetland Isles
   Companies continue to drill in ultra-deep water in under extreme conditions. A BP contractor this week called for safety checks on all BP’s rigs in the North Sea raising serious concerns with local officials.
   
   
   
7. Nigeria – Niger Delta
   Operations in the Niger Delta have spilled as much oil every year since 1969 as the Exxon Valdez spilled in 1989 alone.  Oil spills have decimated fish stocks and seriously damaged agricultural land in the Delta region.
   
   
   
8. Russia – The Sea of Okhotsk
   The Sea of Okhotsk is subject to extreme weather conditions. During the ice-free period waves can reach 19 metres.  A leak would be impossible to contain.
   
   
   
9. Brazil – Santos Basin
   The Tupi oil field is located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro below a layer of salt that is up to 6,500 feet thick. According to scientists, drilling through the salt layer will create significant risks.
   
   
10. U.S. Alaska’s North Shore – Chukchi and Beaufort Sea
    Increasing ice melt in the area has opened up the area for drilling. Responding to a spill in this extreme environment would be virtually impossible.

The read more on these sites visit Top Ten Offshore Drilling Sites Most At-Risk backgrounder.

The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biofuels friendly policies internationally. Alliance members represent over 65% of the global biofuels production from over 30 countries. Through the development of new technologies and best practices, the Alliance members are committed to producing renewable fuels with the smallest possible footprint. 

Contact: Mr. Bliss Baker
Work: - (Country code “1”) 416-847-6497
Mobile: 647-309-0058
www.globalrfa.org
Email: info@globalrfa.org