Dead fish spotted near site of Bohai Bay oil spill
By Richard Fu |
July 5, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
DEAD fish have been reported near the site of an oil spill from China's largest offshore oil field in Bohai Bay off the northeast coast.
However, the field's operator said it had received no reports of any impact on fishing in the area.
Several fish farms in Changdao County of Yantai City in Shandong Province found dead fish and reported the situation to the local government, Sohu.com reported yesterday, citing people working at the farms.
Fish farmers are waiting for test results and will seek compensation from the oil field's operators if there is evidence the oil spill last month had caused the deaths, Sohu reported, citing the head of a local fish farm.
China Business News also reported yesterday that a fish farm on Daqin Island in Changdao had begun finding dead fish about 10 days ago.
Both reports said there was no immediate proof to link the deaths to the oil spill at the Penglai 19-3 field.
The State Oceanic Administration is expected to announce the results of an investigation into the incident at a media briefing today.
United States-based ConocoPhillips, which operates the field in which it has a 49 percent stake, said yesterday that there had been no reports of any impact on wildlife, fishing or shipping activities from the spill. The leak had been contained and clean-up work was close to completion, it said.
'Under control'
The incident, which was said to have happened around June 10, only came to light on June 21 after stories were posted online. Conoco and its Chinese partner, CNOOC Ltd, had not spoken about the spill until last Friday after it had hit the headlines.
CNOOC, which owns 51 percent of the field, then confirmed the leak for the first time, saying it was under control and had been largely cleaned up. CNOOC cited reports it received from ConocoPhillips China.
The two oil companies have come under fire for failing to disclose full and immediate information about the spill.
China National Radio, citing a CNOOC source, said on Sunday that the slick stretched for about 200 meters and had a relatively small impact on the marine environment. That's substantially smaller than the previously reported size. The Southern Weekend said last week the slick was 3 kilometers long.
Analysts say the incident will have limited impact on the earnings of Hong Kong-listed CNOOC.
"ConocoPhillips China is the operator of the oil field which should take the responsibility for the incident," BOCOM International analysts wrote in a note yesterday, adding that all offshore oil field works were well insured and the loss could be claimed.
They said the leak could be easily contained and would not cause serious environmental damage.
"The incident is not comparable to BP's oil spill incident in the Gulf of Mexico," the analysts wrote.
The BP oil spill last year was the world's largest accidental oil spill.
However, the field's operator said it had received no reports of any impact on fishing in the area.
Several fish farms in Changdao County of Yantai City in Shandong Province found dead fish and reported the situation to the local government, Sohu.com reported yesterday, citing people working at the farms.
Fish farmers are waiting for test results and will seek compensation from the oil field's operators if there is evidence the oil spill last month had caused the deaths, Sohu reported, citing the head of a local fish farm.
China Business News also reported yesterday that a fish farm on Daqin Island in Changdao had begun finding dead fish about 10 days ago.
Both reports said there was no immediate proof to link the deaths to the oil spill at the Penglai 19-3 field.
The State Oceanic Administration is expected to announce the results of an investigation into the incident at a media briefing today.
United States-based ConocoPhillips, which operates the field in which it has a 49 percent stake, said yesterday that there had been no reports of any impact on wildlife, fishing or shipping activities from the spill. The leak had been contained and clean-up work was close to completion, it said.
'Under control'
The incident, which was said to have happened around June 10, only came to light on June 21 after stories were posted online. Conoco and its Chinese partner, CNOOC Ltd, had not spoken about the spill until last Friday after it had hit the headlines.
CNOOC, which owns 51 percent of the field, then confirmed the leak for the first time, saying it was under control and had been largely cleaned up. CNOOC cited reports it received from ConocoPhillips China.
The two oil companies have come under fire for failing to disclose full and immediate information about the spill.
China National Radio, citing a CNOOC source, said on Sunday that the slick stretched for about 200 meters and had a relatively small impact on the marine environment. That's substantially smaller than the previously reported size. The Southern Weekend said last week the slick was 3 kilometers long.
Analysts say the incident will have limited impact on the earnings of Hong Kong-listed CNOOC.
"ConocoPhillips China is the operator of the oil field which should take the responsibility for the incident," BOCOM International analysts wrote in a note yesterday, adding that all offshore oil field works were well insured and the loss could be claimed.
They said the leak could be easily contained and would not cause serious environmental damage.
"The incident is not comparable to BP's oil spill incident in the Gulf of Mexico," the analysts wrote.
The BP oil spill last year was the world's largest accidental oil spill.
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