20 Jul 2012

Public in dark about oil drilling, says Greenpeace

9:56 am on 20 July 2012

Environmental group Greenpeace says the oil industry is keeping the public in the dark about the scale of oil drilling going on.

The claim comes amid opposition to exploration drilling on Stewart Island and the East Coast, which local councils approved without public consultation.

Greenpeace campaigner Simon Boxer says there is so much petroleum activity it is impossible for anyone to keep a complete list.

Mr Boxer says a Canadian company has four permits in Taranaki, plans for five projects on the East Coast and Canterbury, and another half dozen companies are getting ready to drill.

But the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association says it knows of only four projects at the drilling stage outside Taranaki.