French oil company Total has received the first shipment of offshore Arctic oil from the Russian energy giant Gazprom, despite decried by environmentalists against Arctic drilling.
Citing the firm’s CEO previous pledge to avoid Arctic oil drilling due to the major spill consequences, Total was accused by the environmental group for its hypocrisy.
Greenpeace International oil campaigner Ben Ayliffe said that procuring the first shipment of offshore Arctic oil enhances the dependence on Russian energy firms.
"We must urgently shift away from fossil fuels towards more efficient, clean technologies. This is no longer a purely environmental imperative. It is increasingly crucial to our national security," Ayliffe added.
"Its CEO has already pledged not to drill in the icy waters of the far north, and yet he is apparently happy to buy the stuff if Gazprom takes on the risk."
The oil has been drilled from Gazprom’s Prirazlomnaya platform, which was the subject of a high profile environmental protest in September last year.