Yesterday, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) informed the oil leak accident near the Penglai 19-3 oil field in Bohai Bay in north China.
According to the administration, the oil leak happened on platform B and C of Penglai 19-3 oil field. The leak from platform-B resulted from increased pressure of strata when workers injected water. The leak from platform-C was due to a surge in the well coupled with leaks on the side.
SOA says the incident polluted an area of 840 square kilometers. As of Monday, a total of 70 cubic meters of water-oil hybrid in the area had been cleaned up, but an oil film can still be seen on the sea surface.
However, why SOA informed the accident after one month?
SOA said that the cause of the oil leak is very complex. We need time to investigation, such as collecting test data, determining contaminated area, analyzing the reasons. The entire job cannot be completed in a short time.
As jointly developers, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and ConocoPhillips China, a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips, have not been released any information after oil accident in early June, which made them became the focus of the public and media.
Li Xiaoming, the president of Marine Environment Protection Division of SOA, angry said to ConocoPhillips that “you should tell the public the truth because you polluted our ocean.”
Should CNOOC be responsible for the oil leak accident? SOA said that as ConocoPhillips is the cause of the oil leak, the administration would only punish the company responsible for the accident.
Furthermore, some consider that the fine, 200,000 yuan, is too small, although this is the maximum for such pollution based on China Marine Environment Protection Law.
Source: Beijing News
Translated and edited by Ma Xin
Ma Xin is an editor of M4.cn and can be reached at tomaxin@163.com.