China said on Wednesday it had ordered US oil giant ConocoPhillips to immediately stop operations at several rigs in an area off the nation’s eastern coast polluted by a huge slick.
The 840-square-kilometre (336-square-mile) slick emanating from the oil field in Bohai Bay – which ConocoPhillips operates with China’s state-run oil giant CNOOC – has caused huge anger amid allegations of a cover-up.
On Wednesday, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said operations would not be allowed to resume before the source of the spill was fully plugged and ‘risks eliminated”, as fears over the long-term impact on the environment grow.
‘There has been oil seeping continuously into the sea for days from platforms B and C in the Penglai 19-3 oil field and there is still a slick in the surrounding marine areas,’ the SOA said in a statement.
‘Another spill could happen at any time, which has posed a huge threat to the oceanic ecological environment,’ it said, adding it had ordered theUSfirm to stop operations at those platforms.
CNOOC said last week the spill – which was detected on June 4 but only made public at the beginning of July – was ‘basically under control’ while ConocoPhillips told reporters the leaks had been plugged.
