Shell Spills Major Oil off Coast of Scotland
Shell has only recently taken responsibility for its last oil spill in 2008, which leaked 11 million gallons of crude into the Niger Delta, nearly wiping out entire communities in Nigeria. A class action lawsuit finally prompted Shell to admit they’d spilled approximately 275 times the amount of oil than they’d originally reported. The U.N. estimates the spill will likely take 30 years and $1 billion to clean up. (image: inhabitat.com)
Oil giant Shell has contaminated at least 48 square miles of ocean in the North Sea from its Gannet Alpha platform, DigitalJournal.com reported. The latest estimates put the leak around 100 metric tons or 730 barrels worth. Though Shell operates the Gannet Alpha platform, Exxon Mobil Corp. is also a partner.
Echoing the dishonest rhetoric surrounding the BP Gulf spill, Shell was aware of the spill since last Wednesday but didn’t report it publicly until Friday.
Yesterday BBC Breakfast news reported “a thin film” of oil now covers a “mere” 48 miles of seawater, prompting questions about what constitutes a thin film. Sadly, until now Scotland has been a leader in industries involving eco-conscious, renewable energy sources. Regional scientists recently wrote of their work attempting to change the shape of the world energy map, saying Scotland “can become a world leader in the field of renewable energy, just as Aberdeen has with oil.”
Shell tried to downplay the leak, stating in a press release it is “under control…the flowline on the seabed is now isolated and depressurized. Leakage of oil has been considerably reduced.”
“We have deployed a Remote-Operated Vehicle (ROV) to do inspection checks and monitor the subsea leak which is on a flow line on the sea bed,” Shell spokespeople wrote. “A stand-by vessel remains on station with oil spill response equipment and dispersant.”
However, dispersants themselves are controversial since they’re nonbiodegradable and often comprised of toxic chemicals. While they can effectively dissolve oil slicks, they don’t actually reduce the amount of oil entering the sea and only work when applied within 12-48 hours of an accident. Dispersants also negatively affect marine life and ecosystems.
On Sunday evening, Shell spokesman Bill Tanner offered an update in an email, stating, “Our current expectation is it will be naturally dispersed through wave action and will not reach shore.”
