Dorset oil leak: Major incident declared as 200 barrels of ‘fluid’ spills into Poole Harbour from onshore oil field
A MAJOR incident has been declared after around 200 barrels of reservoir fluid leaked into a harbour, leaving a “large amount of oil” in the water.
The incident at Poole, Dorset, happened shortly before 2pm today at a pipeline operated by Perenco, under Owers Bay, according to Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC).
Members of the public have been warned not to swim in Poole Harbour or the surrounding area until further notice.
If anyone does come into contact with the spill they are urged to wash immediately using soap and water.
PHC has implemented their oil spill plan and a number of organisations are supporting their efforts, including companies specialising in oil spill response.
Commissioners are assessing the situation and the affected pipeline has been shut, with booms installed on either side of the leak.
Poole Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Protection Area (SPA).
The wetlands are recognised as being international important for wildfoul and it is an important area for breeding and overwintering water birds.
Just outside Poole Harbour, Poole Bay is a Marine Conservation Area with the seabed featuring ten different types of habitat and is home to more than 360 different marine species.
It is also close to Sandbanks, the exclusive peninsula that is home to Britain’s most expensive waterfront homes and has an award-winning Blue Flag beach that attracts thousands of visitors in the summer months.
Local resident Vikki Slade took to social media on learning of the incident and said: “Very worrying – Poole Harbour is the site of several SSSIs, home to rare birds at @RSPBArne and @BrownseaNT & shellfish in Holes Bay.
“Hope the spill is contained quickly to minimise damage. Glad major incident called – a responsible reaction.”
The pipeline is operated by Perenco, who operate nearby Wytch Farm – the largest on-shore oil field in Western Europe.
The Environment Agency said it had received reports of a “large amount of oil” in the harbour and Dorset Police said it was first informed of the incident at 1.43pm today.
In a statement, PHC said: “Earlier today a leak occurred at a pipeline operated by Perenco under Owers Bay in Poole Harbour.
“It is estimated that approximately 200 barrels of reservoir fluid has been released into the water column in Poole Harbour.
“The pipeline has been shut down and booms have been placed on either side of the leak. An assessment is currently being carried out.
“Perenco have mobilised Oil Spill Response Ltd and Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) have mobilised Adler and Allen to assist with this incident. These companies are specialists in oil spill response incidents.
“PHC have activated their oil spill plan and are working with a number of organisations. A major incident has now been declared and a gold command unit has been established.
“We would advise members of the public that they should not swim in Poole Harbour or the surrounding area until further notice.
“Anyone who has come into contact with the spill should wash immediately with soap and water. If eyes have come into contact with the spill, they should be rinsed with water.
“A further update will be provided in due course.”
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: “We were called at 1.43pm on Sunday 26 March 2023 by Poole Harbour Commissioners informing the Force of an oil leak in Poole Harbour.
“The incident is being led by Poole Harbour Commissioners and at this time there is no requirement for police attendance. We will continue to liaise with our partner agencies and offer support if required.”
Philip Broadhead, leader of Bournemouth Poole and Christchurch Council, said: “As leader of the council I will be working to see what implications this leak may have and what action we may need to take.
“It is of course extremely disappointing to hear of this event, and while there will be a time later for anger and investigation, our focus must now be on ensuring we can mitigate any impacts of this situation.”
Perenco UK said there had been a “limited” leak and a clean-up operation was under way.
A statement from the firm said: “Perenco UK confirms that there has been a limited oil leak at one of its well sites in its Wytch Farm operations in Dorset.
“Perenco UK’s incident management team was activated immediately, the leak was stopped and booms deployed as an additional containment to protect Poole Harbour.
“Perenco UK is working closely with the relevant authorities and a clean-up operation is under way.”
Franck Dy, Perenco UK’s Wytch Farm general manager, said: “Any spill is an extremely serious matter and a full investigation will be launched to ascertain what happened in Poole Harbour.
“It is important to stress that the situation is under control, with the discharge of fluids having been stopped and the spill is being contained.”