Protest: Greenpeace occupies conveyor belt at Suncor oil sands mine.
Greenpeace blockades oil sands mine
Greenpeace Canada has set up a blockade at Suncor Energy’s oil sands facility in northern Alberta demanding the province place a moratorium on all projects.
Nearly two dozen activists from Canada, Brazil, Germany and France have disrupted operations at Canada’s largest energy producer by stopping two conveyor belts that transport bitumen across the Athabasca River to Suncor’s upgrader.
“Greenpeace has taken action here today in the heart of climate destruction to drive the message home to world leaders that we need urgent climate leadership, and that means stopping the tar sands,” said Greenpeace Canada executive director, Bruce Cox, who is also on site.
This is the second protest in as many weeks Greenpeace has staged at the oil sands. On 16 September it disrupted operations at Shell Canada’s Albian Sands Muskeg River mine.
A Suncor official told UpstreamOnline that the protest was causing a minor, short-term loss of production but the only part of the mine that was closed was the portion occupied by the protestors.
The company reiterated its invitation to Greenpeace activists to talk about the company's environmental efforts.
"We have maintained an open door to engage with credible stakeholders who want to work constructively on improving the environmental performance of resource development and energy use," Suncor operations boss Steve Williams said.
Suncor has not said how the protestors were able to enter the facility.
For live video of the protest go here.