Oil rig occupation ends

INVERNESS, Scotland -- Nine environmental activists have ended their occupation of a U.S. oil rig off the Scottish coast.

Police said on Monday that the U.S. oil giant Conoco, who chartered the rig, obtained legal authority to force the nine Greenpeace members to abandon their actions.

The protesters were trying to prevent the 180 foot (55 metre) semi-submersible rig from leaving Scotland's east coast to drill for oil in the North Sea.

The activists have accused U.S. oil company Conoco, which owns the Jet brand name, of contributing to global warning which it blamed on this year's floods in Britain.

Greenpeace says Conoco has failed to use green fuels such as bio-diesel.

Conoco, which leases the rig in Cromarty Firth, an inlet of the North Sea 20 miles (32 kilometres) north of Inverness, called the conduct of the protesters "dangerous and irresponsible."

Captain George Dobbie, harbour master for Cromarty Firth Port Authority, condemned Greenpeace's actions.

"We recognise the right of environmental organisations to state their case but targeted the oil industry in this way threatens to impact on the economy of the North of Scotland, already badly affected by the loss of thousands of oil related construction jobs and the down turn in tourism," he said.

"Protests like this could lead to rig operators taking their units else where. Rig work is vital to the Cromarty Firth area both securing employment and work related spin offs."

Seventeen Greenpeace activists who were arrested on Sunday will appear in a Scottish court on Monday in connection with the mass occupation.

Greenpeace said the protest was a response to U.S. President George W. Bush's decision to reject the 1997 Kyoto treaty aimed at curbing greenhouse gasses believed by many scientists to stoke global warming.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Greenpeace International
Conoco
Northern Constabulary

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