New spill maps for a Gulf of Mexico-type deep-sea oil well blowout have renewed controversy over the New Zealand government's plans to allow drilling in offshore waters over 1,000 meters deep.

A collision between two oil tankers just east of the world’s most critical oil choke point, the Strait of Hormuz, could bring about a potential environmental disaster, Greenpeace said on Thursday.

Environmental group Greenpeace said Thursday it is the target of an “intimidation lawsuit” brought by Shell, which the group says is trying to stop it from protesting at Shell’s locations.

Greenpeace said it had reviewed satellite imagery that showed a plume of oil stretching up to about 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) from the crash site.

Greenpeace said it had reviewed satellite imagery that showed a plume of oil stretching up to about 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) from the crash site.