Campaign groups have vowed a virtual “day of action” in protest against the development of the Rosebank oil field.
StopRosebank – a sister movement to the long-running StopCambo and StopJackdaw campaigns – said it aimed to marshal “a range of mass digital actions” in a bid to pressure the Norwegian energy giant to stop the 300-million-barrel oil development west of Shetland.
Working with a coalition of groups from Norway and the UK, including Greenpeace Norge, Stopp Oljeletinga, and Friends of the Earth Scotland, the group said it would be “taking the fight to Equinor” on Tuesday 25 October.
“Rosebank’s owner Equinor is a Norwegian state-owned oil giant which cares hugely about its reputation, investing heavily in advertising to present themselves to the people of Norway as a responsible energy company committed to net zero.”
“In reality, they are relentlessly focused on developing new oil and gas fields, whatever the price,” the organisers said.
Help us #StopRosebank – join the Digital Day of Action on Tuesday 25th October! 🤳
Let’s show oil giant Equinor we see through their greenwash, and make this oil field as toxic as possible for them.
Sign up here: https://t.co/XIeVWXPRjw
— Friends of the Earth Scotland 🌎 (@FoEScot) October 18, 2022
Equinor submitted an environmental statement for the controversial field in early August, and plans to deliver the field in two phases, targeting first oil at the end of 2026.
Ithaca-owned Siccar Point Energy holds a 20% stake in the development, along with Suncor Energy which holds 40%, while the remainder is held by operator Equinor.
Analysis published by the company suggests it expects to invest £8.1 billion over the life of the multi-million-barrel field, and create around 1,600 full time jobs
The StopRosebank group said removing Equinor’s “social licence to operate” is a crucial step towards stopping the field’s development, and halting new oil and gas projects in the UK.
Campaigns against the Cambo field (now led by Ithaca Energy) and more recently Shell’s Jackdaw gas field have succeeded in shifting the political debate over new developments – even prompting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to declare her opposition to the scheme.
In August the group delivered a petition signed by over 60,000 people to 10 Downing Street, urging the government to block the latter project.
Equinor has been asked for comment.
Recommended for you
