Greenland Energy dispute over drilling permissions deepens amid Trump-linked pressure
A dispute has emerged in Greenland over whether a Texas-based oil company has permission to begin exploration work and move drilling equipment into the territory. Greenland Energy says it has exploration permits and plans to bring in drilling kit, but the government in Nuuk says there are no active permissions for exploration or for preparations linked to such activity. The disagreement centres on a proposed oil project in eastern Greenland and has drawn in figures linked to Donald Trump.
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The company's public face, Robert Price, told residents of Ittoqqortoormiit on 10 June that the project would drill for oil in the area. He said the company had permission to place equipment on the land and had filed permits that were still pending approval. Greenland's resources ministry rejected that account, saying there were "no actually active permissions for any exploration activity or permissions for preparations for these activities".
Greenland Energy says it wants to test claims that billions of barrels of crude lie beneath the territory. According to the company's plans, it intends to bring in 300 shipping containers of drilling equipment and has chartered an Arctic-going vessel to carry the cargo about 4,000 kilometres through icy waters to Greenland's eastern coast. Price said the vessel was due to depart on 12 September, with drilling expected to begin in October.
The logistics are to be handled by Halliburton, the Houston-based contractor. The dispute matters because it sits at the intersection of resource development, territorial governance and wider political pressure over Greenland's future. The territory is sparsely populated and has long been the focus of outside interest because of its mineral and energy potential.
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In this case, the oil narrative is being used by Trump-linked backers to argue for a stronger American role in Greenland, adding a geopolitical layer to what is also a regulatory question. The issue has been amplified by comments from Jeff Landry, the Louisiana governor who has been described as the US president's special envoy to Greenland. After a visit in May, Landry said on television that Greenland and the United States "need a deal" and suggested Greenland could be exporting 2 million barrels of oil a day.
He also said production could begin within about 10 months. Those remarks have helped frame the project as part of a broader campaign to promote an American takeover of the territory. Greenland Energy appears to be the only company currently making plans to drill in the territory, according to the supplied material.
That makes the project a focal point for both commercial and political attention. The company's claims about permits, and the government's denial of them, now stand at the centre of the dispute. The gap between those positions raises questions about whether any field activity can proceed at all.
The row also reflects the sensitivity of Arctic resource development, where access, regulation and sovereignty are closely linked. Any move to import heavy equipment into Greenland would require clear authorisation from the local authorities, especially if it is tied to exploration or preparation for drilling. The ministry's statement suggests that, at least for now, Nuuk is not recognising the permissions Greenland Energy says it has.
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What remains unclear is whether the company will still attempt to move equipment as planned, and whether the authorities will intervene if it does. It is also not clear how far the project can advance without a settled regulatory position. The next key developments will be whether permits are approved, whether the vessel departs on schedule, and whether the dispute escalates into a formal legal or political confrontation.
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