Today, Extinction Rebellion groups from Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (XR BCP), Wimborne and Purbeck, have taken their continuing campaign against Poole Harbour oil company Perenco to their offices and facility in Furzebrook. The campaign was sparked by Perenco’s spill of 200 barrels (approximately 31,600 litres) of reservoir fluid, consisting of 15% crude oil and 85% production fluid, from their Wytch Farm site into Poole Harbour. The date for the latest escalation was chosen as it marks the second annual EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis.
This morning’s protest was Extinction Rebellion’s first in Furzebrook, where the French oil giant has a technical office. The protest began at 8:30am and was designed to greet Perenco staff as they arrived for work. Protestors were joined by drummers from XR BCP Rhythms who provided the musical backdrop as rebels displayed banners and flags. Chants ringing out around the village included “Perenco Out!” and “Perenco – Stop the Harm!”
Daniel Glennon from XR BCP, a 52-year-old customer service trainer from Bournemouth said “If Perenco think we are going to forget about the heartbreaking oil spill in Poole Harbour in March 2023, they are mistaken. We had a small victory with our last action – Perenco finally released a report about what caused the spill and promised remedial action to prevent a future spill. In an unprecedented move they also invited the BBC into their Wytch Farm facility. We can’t trust Perenco with our beautiful harbour and so our campaign continues.”
Liz Brereton, also from XR BCP and a counsellor from Bournemouth explained the choice of date for the latest protest. “We’ve chosen the date of our latest Perenco action as it is the second annual EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis. This seems appropriate because of the enormous environmental damage and humanitarian cost of Perenco’s actions in the global south.”
XR Wimborne’s Joanna Bury, an environmental activist and author from Wimborne Minster, added “Wytch Farm is a doddering, old oilfield and fossil fuels are yesterday’s energy. Perenco needs to shut Wytch Farm before it does any more damage.”
Extinction Rebellion’s objectives for this protest, under the banner of PERENCO – STOP THE HARM were to:
· maintain the pressure they have placed on Perenco since the Poole Harbour oil spill to stop oil extraction now! – there have been five previous actions in Dorset and one at their London offices in Hanover Square;
· to shine a light on Perenco’s operations in Poole Harbour, whilst also highlighting the harm they do to the environment and indigenous communities in the global south.
This was the seventh protest XR BCP have organised regarding this pollution incident. Their first protest and information sharing event was on the 27th March 2023 at Poole Quay. This was followed by a mass demonstration on 1st May at the local offices and operating facility of Perenco’s Wytch Farm Oil Field Works. On Sunday 11th June they held another information raising event at Poole Quay. At the beginning of September, they coordinated with XR Oxford and London to take the battle to Perenco’s headquarters in London. To mark the passing of a calendar year they held a rally at Poole Quay on the 6th January informing residents what had, and from their perspective, what had not been done, to prevent another spill. Most recently, to mark the one year anniversary of the Poole Harbour oil spill, XR BCP were joined by other local green groups to block the entrance to the Wytch Farm oil facility.
In terms of shining a light on Perenco’s operations in the global south XR BCP point to a report in AP News. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of 14 countries in which Perenco drills for oil. They began drilling in Moanda territory in the DRC in 2000. Residents say ‘pollution has worsened, with spills and leaks degrading the soil and flaring — the intentional burning of natural gas near drilling sites — fouling the air they breathe’. Perenco said it ‘abides by international standards in its extraction methods, that they don’t pose any health risks and that any pollution has been minor.’
Retired bookseller Ralph Doe, a 72 year old retired bookseller, also from XR BCP, explained he is focusing on what Perenco might do next. “Perenco’s new wheeze is Carbon Capture and Storage or CCS. The trick will allow big tech companies to honour their net zero pledges by 2030 in spite of rapidly rising emissions in the sector, and the oil majors to continue to pump oil and virtue-signalling. If you can pump oil out of the ground AND get paid for pumping the CO2 back in well … it’s drinks all round!” he said.
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