BP has drawn up a contingency plan to tackle a catastrophic oil spill that would dwarf the Macondo disaster as part of a deep drilling effort lined up off the Shetland Islands, according to a report.
An internal document prepared by the UK supermajor, obtained by the Independent, reveals that a leak from the planned North Uist exploration well lined up for next year could result in 75,000 barrels per day of oil escaping into the water over a period of 140 days.
That would amount to a massive spill of 10.5 million barrels, more than double the estimated 4.9 million barrels that leaked from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico last year after a blowout that destroyed the Deepwater Horizon rig, the newspaper reported.
BP reportedly has already lined up the Stena Drilling drillship Stena Carron to drill the North Uist probe, scheduled for January, but first requires a well permit to be issued by UK Energy & Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne.
The well would be drilled in Block 213/25c in a water depth of 1290 metres about 130 kilometres north-west of Shetland in Atlantic waters that are rich in marine life.
That is about three times the depth of BP’s three current producing wells West of Shetland and in conditions similar to those of the Macondo probe in 1500 metres of water, which took three months to be capped due to the difficulties of dealing with a leak at such water depths.
Environmental groups are up in arms over the drilling plan, which they fear would lead to a spill that would threaten wildlife in the ecologically sensitive region, and are calling on Huhne to refuse the well permit.
There are large concentrations of seabirds, including many rare species, on the Shetlands while the surrounding waters host whales, dolphins and seals, as well as substantial fish stocks.
“It seems unthinkable that the government is allowing a company that has such a shoddy track record of recklessly cutting corners to put all of this at risk. It’s as if Deepwater Horizon never happened,” Greenpeace spokeswoman Vicky Wyatt said.
A BP spokesman said the company was legally required to model the worst-case scenario and how this would be handled in its oil pollution and emergency plan that has to be submitted to the authorities before a well permit can be granted.
“BP is working closely with the regulator to provide the necessary assurance regarding preparations for this well,” he said.
“As all our stakeholders would expect, key lessons from the Deepwater Horizon incident have been incorporated in to the overall planning for this well.
“Furthermore the UK offshore industry has made a number of enhancements to spill response capabilities, which have recently been tested in two exercises.”
BP would have access to a new well-capping device, developed in the wake of Macondo, that can be deployed at water depths of up to 3000 metres.
The spokesman added the North Uist well would be drilled in lower pressure conditions than in the US Gulf deep water.
He said the company had also carried out an environmental impact assessment and had received no expressions of concern over the well during a 28-day consultation period.
BP has been working in the West of Shetland region for the past 15 years, having brought online the Clair, Schiehallion, Loyal and Foinaven fields.
