Greenland issued a “strong warning” after an American oil company connected to US President Donald Trump started preparing to sink wells in the Arctic region without any permission from local authorities.
Greenland issued a “strong warning” after an American oil company connected to US President Donald Trump started preparing to sink wells in the Arctic region without any permission from local authorities. The firm’s project is coming at a time when the American leader has renewed his threats to claim the vast Arctic territory.
The Greenlandic authorities began to express concern when drilling materials were brought ashore in recent days on the island’s eastern coast. The move has prompted Greenland’s government to issue a “strong warning” that no approval had been granted to land the kit.
“All future logistical matters must be advised and approved by the mineral resources authority – before they are carried out,” the government said in a statement. However, two days later, Trump made a menacing post on Truth Social, showing himself looming over a Greenlandic village.
The company in question is Greenland Energy, which is based in Texas and was set up last year. They have claimed that $1 trillion of crude may lie beneath the Jameson Land region. Hence, the firm announced plans to spend $60 million drilling two wells to find out.
Greenland authorities attempt to block the drilling
However, it is pertinent to note that the Greenland authorities stopped issuing new oil licences in 2021 on environmental grounds. But despite this, a UK company called 80 Mile had secured exploration rights in Jameson Land. Greenland Energy’s corporate filings say it will take a majority stake in the project in exchange for funding the exploration, though it still needs government permission to proceed.
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The American firm is retained by Phil McGraw, popularly known as Dr Phil, a prominent rightwing former chatshow host who served on Trump’s religious freedom commission, to make a documentary series that will “capture the mission of these modern-day wildcatters”.
It has also appointed the director, a US Navy veteran who is working on Golden Dome, the missile defence plan for which Trump says controlling Greenland is “vital”. Larry Swets, Greenland Energy’s chair and a big shareholder, appears to enjoy access to Trump’s circle. He has said the oil project is “not related to American annexation”.
In June, the company representatives falsely claimed to have permission for drilling at a Jameson Land community meeting. “Our enthusiasm for the project led us to communicate in a way that created confusion,” Swets said at that time.
But the next month, local people in the sparsely populated region noticed a tug pulling a barge shorewards and unloading a dozen containers. “The goal was to get the equipment onshore at Nunap Qeqqa [Jameson Land] in connection with planned oil exploration drilling,” the Greenland government’s statement said. Meanwhile, the Danish investigative outlet Danwatch quoted the head of the shipping company as confirming the delivery was for Greenland Energy.
Greenland Energy in its letter to the shareholders said: “Recent high-level meetings between project leadership and Greenlandic regulatory and oversight authorities have been constructive, and we continue to be encouraged by the progress being made toward the remaining approvals required for drilling.” It said that after those discussions, just one well would be drilled to begin with.
The Greenland government’s statement, on the other hand, said it “would not be proportionate” to demand the equipment be removed. An application for permission remained under processing, it added. Amidst all this, Jeff Landry, the hard-right Louisiana governor serving as Trump’s Greenland envoy, has said Greenland could be pumping oil next year.