Severe Earthquake a Warning Against Oil Drilling In Pegasus Basin

The recent flurry of strong earthquakes centred in  Cook Strait should be warning enough against Anadarko's plans for deep sea oil drilling, Oil Free Wellington says. 

The community group has been campaigning against Texan based oil giant Anadarko's permits to drill for oil in water up to 2500 metres deep, in the Pegasus Basin. The Pegasus Basin lies south east of Wellington and Cook Strait.

"The risks of drilling for oil at unproven depths in an area that obviously risks seismic activity is too great,' says Jessie Dennis, Oil Free Wellington spokesperson.

'We encourage other Wellingtonians who are concerned about this scary prospect to join the campaign against drilling in the Pegasus Basin.'

'People in this city are opposed to the plans for a myriad of reasons, including climate change, the safe migration of sea mammals through the area, and the potential impact on communities if there was a spill,' says Ms Dennis.  'The quakes these past few days show us that the risk of a spill caused by seismic activity are very real.'

'There should be no drilling in the Pegasus Basin.'

ENDS

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