Greenpeace protests planned gas extraction in North Sea

Environmental protection organization Greenpeace is using moored life rafts to protest against planned natural gas extraction in the North Sea, reported dpa.

Activists set up three life rafts near the Wadden Sea islands of Borkum and Schiermonnikoog in an attempt to block the arrival of ships delivering pipes and other building materials for the drilling platform, Greenpeace announced on Tuesday.

The 20 or so activists set off for the planned construction site north-west of the German island of Borkum, according to a dpa photographer on site.

The Dutch energy company One-Dyas is planning to extract natural gas from a field off the islands of Borkum and Schiermonnikoog. To this end, a production platform is to be built on Dutch territory around 23 kilometres north-west of Borkum.

Production is to take place in both Dutch and German territory.

The production platform and a crane ship for the installation work on the platform should arrive at their destination on Tuesday, the town of Borkum announced on Monday.

Construction is due to begin in the course of the week. The plan is to initially extract gas for three months using a mobile drilling rig.

The construction of a pipeline and the laying of power cables to an offshore wind farm are also due to begin in August. Drilling work for regular gas extraction is scheduled to begin in December.

The town of Borkum has announced that it and the island community of Juist will continue to take legal action against the project.

Environmental organizations and islanders in Germany and the Netherlands oppose the project, fearing that natural gas extraction will cause environmental damage to the neighbouring UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Wadden Sea and the neighbouring islands.

They also believe that natural gas extraction is incompatible with climate targets.

Greenpeace also fears that underwater biotopes and reef structures worthy of protection near the drilling site and along a cable route will be irretrievably destroyed by natural gas extraction.

The town of Borkum criticized the fact that the work "takes place during the sensitive breeding season of harbour porpoise calves." The laying of the cable would also "destroy and jeopardize stone reefs worthy of protection, which are regarded as nurseries for fish."