Shell Withholds Information On North Sea Oil Spill – How Much Oil Still in Pipeline?

On Monday, Royal Dutch Shell announced it had contained an oil spill from its Gannet Alpha oil rig, located 112 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland. The spill, estimated to be 54,600 gallons, is deemed “significant” by Glen Cayley, technical director of Shell’s European exploration and production activities. The British government has backed Shell’s predictions that the oil will not reach shore, but a research vessel will take fish, seawater and sediment samples in the coming days. 

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 for oil offshore Alaska. 

The North Sea, where the spill occurred, is home to a highly sensitive ecosystem and is home to over 230 species of fish, an exciting variety of marine mammals and thousands of seabirds. The 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 is 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, has urged Shell to “react quickly and efficiently” to the spill. Royal Dutch Shell has yet to report how much oil remains in the pipeline, but it is clear that the company will be held responsible for any costs associated with the government response to the spill.

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