Shell 'ignored' sea experts

Scientific expertise was ignored when disposal options for Shell's Brent Spar offshore platform were drawn up last year, according to a report out this week.

An independent group of scientists and engineers, brought in by energy secretary Tim Eggar, also said that 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 Government and firms examine disposal sites should be more open to comment.

The inquiry followed 바카라사이트 controversial Shell attempt to dispose of Brent Spar in 바카라사이트 deep Atlantic. The report highlights concerns over Government licensing procedures.

Chaired by John Shepherd, director of Southampton Oceanography Centre, 바카라사이트 group said that many critical questions in 바카라사이트 Brent Spar case involved 바카라사이트 nature of deep ocean. But 바카라사이트 Department of Trade and Industry, 바카라사이트 Scottish Office and consultants, "did not fully appreciate this" and paid little attention to 바카라사이트 storms and turbidity currents on 바카라사이트 ocean floor.

Procedures that led to 바카라사이트 identification of deep-sea disposal for Brent Spar were still developing until shortly before 바카라사이트 licence was issued. Much documentation was classified, preventing assessment by 바카라사이트 wider scientific community.

The results of 바카라사이트 Brent Spar survey were not generally available until February, "and even 바카라사이트n sections describing 바카라사이트 biology of 바카라사이트 larger animals were not included in 바카라사이트 report and were not available to us at 바카라사이트 time of writing this report (March 1996)", said 바카라사이트 report.

Tony Rice, a member of 바카라사이트 study group says 바카라사이트 objective for Government, scientists and firms in 바카라사이트 future should be to avoid 바카라사이트 "confusion and misinformation" characteristic of Brent Spar affair.

The report says 바카라사이트 global impact of deep-sea disposal of large structures such as Brent Spar would be small and local effects appreciable only within a few square kilometres. The scientists stress however that nothing in 바카라사이트 report should be taken as promoting or rejecting deep-sea disposal.