Shell Holds Back Information On North Sea Oil Spill

By Theodora Filis

Royal Dutch Shell announced Monday, August 15, that nearly 54,600 gallons of oil have spilled into the North Sea from an oil rig off Scotland’s eastern coast. The spill occurred at the Gannet Alpha oil rig which is operated by Shell and co-owned by both Shell and Esso, a subsidiary of US oil firm Exxon Mobil. The technical director of Shell’s European exploration and production activities, Glen Cayley, called the spill “significant.” However, Cayley believes it is unlikely that the spill will reach the shore.

The British government backs Shell’s predictions that the oil will not spread to land. In a weekend statement, Shell admitted the spill covered an area 19 miles wide by 2.7 miles long. The main leak, found last Wednesday, is under control, but on Tuesday Shell revealed there is a second leak from a relief valve on the Gannet Alpha platform, 112 miles off the coast of Aberdeen. The spill comes weeks after the release of a United Nations report detailing decades of oil pollution in Nigeria, where Shell has operated since the 1950s. The company is also in the process of applying for US federal permits to explore oil offshore Alaska. The company said it had contained the spill by shutting in the well, but did not say how much oil remains in the pipeline.

Although it pales in comparison to the 206 million gallons of crude oil that gushed into the Gulf of Mexico after the catastrophic BP oil spill, the British government said the leak was substantial for the UK’s continental shelf. Although the North Sea is small in comparison to other oceans, it contains a  highly sensitive ecosystem -- the 2010 Gulf oil spill has proven that threats to marine life persist even when oil is no longer visible on the surface.

Scottish Environment Secretary, Richard Lochhead, said he didn't expect contaminated fish to enter the food chain, but that “a research vessel will, in the coming days, take fish, seawater and sediment samples”. Lochhead called on Shell to be "as open and transparent as possible."

According to the Wildlife Trusts’ North Sea Project, "the North Sea supports over 230 species of fish, an exciting variety of marine mammals, and thousands of seabirds. The North Sea is also one of the world’s busiest seas and is home to a range of human activity which could potentially threaten marine species." UK Department of Energy and Climate Change said that while it doesn't expect oil to reach land, it would hold Shell "responsible for any costs associated with the government response to the spill.” The Scottish government said it was working with Shell to monitor the spill and warn local fishing boats about contaminated areas.

Patrick Harvie, deputy leader for the Green Party in Scotland, said: “It is too early to tell how serious this spill is, but it is imperative that Shell reacts quickly and efficiently.“