Oil well leaked 10,500 litres off Australian coast for 2 MONTHS – but officials ‘covered it up’

An offshore oil and gas well leaked around 10,500 litres into the ocean off the Australian coast for two months last year – but the regulator did not disclose the spill until now, and details about it still remain a secret.

The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority’s annual offshore performance report, released this week, included a brief mention of the spill.

It revealed the leak had been identified by a remotely-operated vehicle during routine maintenance in April 2016 and was caused by a seal degradation.

Nopsema’s report noted the incident was ‘a dangerous occurrence’ and a ‘reportable incident in relation to a well’ – but did not reveal where exactly it occurred or the company responsible for it.

The leak went on for up to 60 days and spilled oil at a rate of up to 175 litres a day, a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

But Nopsema declined to reveal exactly where the spill occurred or the company involved, only that it occurred in the North West Shelf off the coast of Western Australia.

A spokesman elaborated that a wellhead had been disconnected from a Floating Production Storage and Offloading facility to move out of the path of an approaching cyclone.

‘The facility did not return for a period of two months as it underwent maintenance, and just prior to the facility’s return, routine remote operated vehicle inspection work was conducted on the wellhead,’ he said.

‘This is when the leak from the subsurface safety valve control module on the well head was detected and reported.

‘In response, the remotely operated vehicle closed the hydraulic control line isolation to the subsurface safety valve, which prevented further loss of containment.’

Nopsema investigated the matter, which resulted in the company changing their safety procedures.

The spokesman said the leak compromised oil, water and control line fluid and tests conducted since confirmed no further leaks.

The spokesman said that because companies are required by law to report leaks and no enforcement action was taken by the regulator, they have an ‘implied duty of confidence’ to not reveal details about the incident.

Nathaniel Pelle, a Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner, said the report was deeply concerning.

‘Australians, and especially those who rely on the ocean for their livelihood, should be deeply concerned by reports that the national oil regulator has withheld information from the public about a 10,500 litre oil leak for over 12 months,’ he told the Guardian.

‘There’s absolutely no justification for continuing to keep the company involved or the location of the oil spill a secret.’

Nopsema’s report said there were no fatalities or serious injuries reported to them last year and that accidents and injuries were down from the previous year.

However, it found that spills went up by 28 per cent from 18 in 2015 to 23 last year – despite activity in the oil industry going down by 40 per cent.

Source: Oil well leaked 10,500 litres off Australian coast | Daily Mail Online