The Greenpeace chapter in Norway said Friday it was upset with a decision by Statoil to send a drilling rig to the arctic reaches of the Barents Sea.

Norwegian energy company Statoil was given approval to move the Transocean Spitsbergen rig to a drilling site in the Barents Sea. The Petroleum Safety Authority of Norway said Statoil can use the rig for around 28 days, depending on whether or not a discovery is made.

Truls Gulowsen, director of Greenpeace in Norway, told United Press International moving the rig to the region posed a threat to regional species and the environment.

"Greenpeace has recommended that the drilling does not take place, as it is too close to vulnerable seabird habitats at Bear Island," he said Friday.

Statoil last week gave up on an exploration campaign in the area after failing to find commercial prospects. Greenpeace said it was vindicated following the announcement.

Gulowsen said Statoil's regional monitoring of the ecosystem has so far been "inadequate." If spilled, oil from the site could reach the sensitive habitat in less than two weeks.

The Norwegian government said Statoil is restricted from drilling into any oil-bearing layer in the well before Sept. 5 to give opponents time to appeal "before the riskiest part of the operation gets under way."

Statoil cleared for Barents Sea drilling
Oslo, Norway (UPI) Aug 14, 2013 - The Norwegian government said Thursday it gave oil company Statoil permission to use the mobile drilling rig Spitsbergen in arctic waters of the Barents Sea.

The Petroleum Safety Authority of Norway said Statoil can use the Transocean rig for around 28 days, depending on whether or not a discovery is made.

The well in the Pingvin license area is about 180 miles north of the Norwegian coast in 1,300 feet of water.

More than a dozen Greenpeace demonstrators took part in a protest against Statoil's drilling plans for arctic waters by boarding the Transocean rig in May. Around half of them surrendered their campaign voluntarily and Statoil said the seven activists who remained behind were arrested by Norwegian police.

Greenpeace said its demonstrators were there to raise awareness about the risks associated with drilling in hard-to-reach and pristine locations like the Barents Sea.

The government said Statoil is restricted from drilling into any oil-bearing layer in the well before Sept. 5.

"This condition has been set to allow for appeals before the riskiest part of the operation gets under way," the safety authority said.