Editing History of Statoil (1972–2007) (section)

==Environmental record==
Statoil had three oil spills in Arctic waters near Norway.  All the spills occurred from its ocean rig called the Erik Raude.  The company was searching for oil in the region, which environmentalists were against because they wanted the sensitive area free from pollution.  However, the Norwegian government allowed oil exploration, as long as there were no emissions.<ref name=enn20050413>{{cite web |url=http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/15989 |author=Environmental News Network |title=Norway's Statoil Shuts Down Oil Drilling Rig After Arctic Oil Spill |date=13 April 2005}}</ref>  After the merger to StatoilHydro, in December 2007, {{convert|25000|oilbbl}} of oil leaked into the North Sea.  This was Statoil's 2nd worst oil spill.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/rbssEnergyNews/idUSL1415001920071214?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0 |title=North Sea oil spill off Norway largely "dissolved" |author=Reuters |author-link=Reuters |date=14 December 2007}}</ref>  Two leaks also occurred in February 2008.  In March, Statoil dropped about 1.6 tons of pure hydraulic oil in the Barents Sea.  Hydraulic oil is said to be the 2nd most hazardous pollutant.<ref name=aftenposten20050413>{{cite web |url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1016676.ece |title=Bellona files charges after oil spill |author=Aftenposten |author-link=Aftenposten |date=13 April 2005 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821181955/http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1016676.ece |archivedate=21 August 2010  }}</ref>  Since the leaks, Statoil has stated that the oil has mostly dissolved, and there is not much proof of ecological harm.  The Norwegian government has not stopped the oil drilling in the Arctic waters, and Statoil started up its oil operations in April 2005.<ref name=enn20050413 /> [[Bellona Foundation|Bellona]], a Norwegian environmental group, is looking to take legal action.  They want the end of oil drilling in the Barents Sea.<ref name=aftenposten20050413 />