An American oil company with ties to Donald Trump is preparing to sink exploratory wells in remote Greenland despite failing to secure the necessary permissions from local authorities. As the US president renews his threats to claim the vast Arctic territory, materials intended for drilling operations were brought ashore in recent days on Greenland’s eastern coast, bypassing established regulatory protocols.
This unauthorized action has prompted the Greenlandic government to issue a “strong warning” regarding the company’s conduct. In an official statement, the government asserted that no approval had been granted to land the equipment. “All future logistical matters must be advised and approved by the mineral resources authority – before they are carried out,” the statement read.
The tension is compounded by the political climate; two days after the equipment arrived, Trump posted an image on Truth Social depicting himself looming over a Greenlandic village. Executives at Greenland Energy, a Texas firm incorporated last year, claim that up to $1 trillion in crude oil may lie beneath the Jameson Land region. The company has announced plans to spend $60 million drilling two wells to verify these estimates.
Although Greenland ceased issuing new oil licenses in 2021 citing environmental concerns, a UK-based company named 80 Mile had previously secured exploration rights in Jameson Land. Greenland Energy’s corporate filings indicate it intends to take a majority stake in the project by funding the exploration, though it still requires formal government authorization to proceed with drilling.
To bolster its public profile, Greenland Energy has retained Phil McGraw, the prominent rightwing former chatshow host and former member of Trump’s religious freedom commission, to produce a documentary series. The project aims to “capture the mission of these modern-day wildcatters.” Additionally, the firm has appointed a US Navy veteran to its board who is currently involved with Golden Dome, the missile defense plan for which Trump has described control of Greenland as “vital.”
Larry Swets, the chair and a major shareholder of Greenland Energy, appears to maintain access to Trump’s inner circle. While Swets has publicly claimed the oil project is “not related to American annexation,” the company’s history of communication has been fraught with friction. After a representative falsely claimed at a community meeting in June that the firm had permission to land equipment, Swets later admitted, “Our enthusiasm for the project led us to communicate in a way that created confusion.”
The following month, local residents in the sparsely populated region observed a tug pulling a barge toward the shore to unload a dozen containers. The Danish investigative outlet Danwatch later quoted the head of the shipping company confirming the delivery was intended for Greenland Energy. “The goal was to get the equipment onshore at Nunap Qeqqa [Jameson Land] in connection with planned oil exploration drilling,” the Greenland government confirmed.
Greenland Energy has declined to respond to specific questions from. However, in a letter to shareholders sent Thursday, the company stated: “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.” The firm noted that, following these discussions, it now plans to drill only one well initially.
As a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, decisions regarding Greenland’s natural resources rest with its local elected leaders, who now face a difficult dilemma. They could grant permission for drilling, even though the site falls within a conservation area protected by the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. Alternatively, they could refuse, raising concerns that such a move might provide Trump with a pretext to advance his territorial agenda.
The Greenland government stated that it “would not be proportionate” to demand the immediate removal of the equipment, noting that an application for permission remains under review. Meanwhile, a Greenland Energy representative stated that a vessel carrying 300 shipping containers of additional drilling equipment is scheduled to sail from Canada on September 12, with drilling operations slated to begin in October.
Jeff Landry, the hard-right Louisiana governor serving as Trump’s Greenland envoy, has publicly suggested that the island could be pumping oil as early as next year. As the situation develops, the government remains cautious, emphasizing that all logistical steps must adhere to strict legal oversight to prevent further unauthorized activity. The report also notes that let alone what is being said, this prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all.
