UK trio 'face Arctic grilling'

Eco sensitivities: over exploration in the Arctic

Reuters

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By Steve Marshall and news reports

 09 January 2012 13:46 GMT

A number of big oil companies are set to face questioning later this year by British MPs over the safety of exploration in the Arctic, according to a report.

BP, Shell and Cairn Energy are believed to be on the draft list of companies to be called to give evidence to the UK Parliament’s environmental audit committee in the spring as part of its Protecting the Arctic inquiry that was announced on Sunday, according to UK newspaper The Telegraph.

The retreat of sea ice due to global warming has opened up the possibility of tapping potentially huge hydrocarbon resources in the Arctic.

However, oil and gas drilling in the vast region is fiercely opposed by environmentalists who fear an oil spill there…

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