Pipeliners

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, March 31 (AFP) - An international consortium developing oil fields off Russia's far-eastern island of Sakhalin has displaced its pipelines to protect endangered grey whales, company CEO Ian Craig said early Thursday. The pipelines are to link two offshore oil rigs belonging to the Sakhalin 2 project developed by Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd (SEIC) to the Russian mainland and were displaced 20 kilometers (12 miles) southward to preserve the whales' feeding grounds. "We chose an option which abides by the principle of maximum precaution," Craig said. The decision to displace the pipeline was taken after a group of independent experts pointed out the disturbing effects the pipelines could have on the whales. "The independent experts' conclusions helped us find a balance between (the needs to) provide the region with energy, to contribute to Russia's economic development and to protect these wonderful animals," Craig said. However, SEIC did not follow another recommendation made by the experts, who wanted another pipeline to be displaced by seven kilometers (four miles) away from the whales' feeding grounds. SEIC is an international oil consortium grouping the Royal Dutch Shell oil company and Japanese companies Mitsui and Mitsubishi.