Six Greenpeace activists, including an Australian, have spent their first night on a Shell oil rig in the Pacific Ocean.
The group climbed on board the 38,000-tonne Polar Pioneer platform, 1200km northwest of Hawaii, on Tuesday morning.
The Polar Pioneer is being transported on a vessel called Blue Marlin.
The protesters have a website and are regularly using Twitter to promote their campaign against drilling for oil in the Arctic.
The group plans to stay on the rig "for the long haul," one of the group, New Zealander Johno Smith, told NZME via satellite phone.
He said the group were enduring cold weather but were coping well.
Australian Zoe Lennox, 21, on Tuesday tweeted she was "safe and secure" on the rig.
The other activists are from Germany, the US, Sweden and Austria.
They travelled to the platform on the Greenpeace ship Esperanza and have supplies to camp for several days, sleeping in hammocks.
They're hoping to highlight Shell's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic in less than 100 days.
Shell confirmed on Tuesday that the protesters had boarded the platform.
"[They're] jeopardising not only the safety of the crew on board, but the protesters themselves," United States spokeswoman Kelly op de Weegh said.
Ms op de Weegh said Shell had met with organisations and individuals who oppose energy exploration offshore Alaska.
"We respect their views and value the dialogue.
"We will not, however, condone the illegal tactics employed by Greenpeace. Nor will we allow these stunts to distract from preparations under way to execute a safe and responsible exploration program."
Share
