Canary Island oil-drilling to start in autumn
Thursday, July 24, 2014 @ 5:18 PM
PETROLEUM giant REPSOL plans to start drilling for oil off the coasts of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote between October and December this year in the hope of finding fossil fuel in the eastern Atlantic.
A state-of-the-art vessel will drill into the sea bed 885 metres down and 60 kilometres off the shores of the Canary Island of Fuerteventura as soon as the ministry of industry and energy, led by José Manuel Soria, grants the required permit.
Widespread protests throughout the islands by environmental campaigners, members of the opposition, residents and fishermen have been ongoing for months as they fear oil extraction will spell the end of the beach tourism and fishing industries and destroy sea life.
REPSOL's public relations officer Antonio Brufau has attempted to explain what will be involved to try to alleviate their fears, although so far with little success.
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