‘They’re even breaching even basic regulations about use of water’
Statoil a state-owned Norwegian oil company pleaded guilty to several counts of improper water diversion a Crown prosecutor told an Edmonton court earlier this week.
In February Statoil was charged with 19 counts of improperly diverting water from Alberta’s rivers and streams for its in-situ oilsands operations.
The company was also accused of providing false or misleading statements about water withdrawals at its facility near Conklin Alta. in 2008 and 2009.
Critics say Statoil’s involvement in Alberta’s oilsands contradicts Norway’s environmental policies.
“They’re even breaching even basic regulations about use of water” Truls Gulowsen Greenpeace Norway director.
Gulowsen says Statoil has also made misleading statement about its greenhouse gas emissions from its Canadian operations to the Norwegian public.
“They only refer to the emissions from the steam process and not the upgrading which is an intricate part of the operation” he says.
Crown prosecutors and Statoil are discussing “creative sentencing options.” Each of the 19 fines reportedly carries a maximum $500000 penalty totalling $9.5 million.
According to Greenpeace the Norwegian company makes $2.8 million per operating hour.
Statoil is set to appear in court November 21 for sentencing.
