ACOPS
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PROTECTION OF THE SEA
ANNUAL SURVEY OF REPORTED DISCHARGES ATTRIBUTED TO VESSELS AND OFFSHORE OIL & GAS INSTALLATIONS OPERATING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM POLLUTION CONTROL ZONE
2003
A survey conducted on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
London, March 2004
CONTENTS
Page Number
SECTION 1 Summary. 1
SECTION 2 Descriptive statistics and trend assessments. 4
SECTION 3 Summary of larger discharges (2 tonnes or more). 21
SECTION 4 Enumeration area summary reports: 25
1 North-east England. 26 2 Eastern England. 28 3 Essex & Kent. 29 4 Southern England. 31 5 South-west England. 33 6 Bristol Channel & South Wales. 35 7 Irish Sea. 37 8 Western Scotland. 38 9 Orkney & Shetland Islands. 40 10 Eastern Scotland. 41 11 UKCS (Oil & gas installations and vessels). 43
SECTION 5 Quality assurance programme and acknowledgements. 45
APPENDIX 1 Summary of reported incidents.
APPENDIX 2 Survey questionnaire and accompanying guidelines.
APPENDIX 3 Plates 1-3.
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Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS) 11 Dartmouth Street London SW1H 9BN
March 2004
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LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1 Boundaries of UK Pollution Control Zone and individual enumeration areas.
FIGURE 2 Locations of reported oil discharges attributed to vessels.
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1 Total incidents reported by category of pollution and enumeration area for 2002 and 2003.
TABLE 2 Total incidents reported and distribution by marine environmental zone and enumeration area.
TABLE 3 Amount and extent of reported pollution by enumeration area.
TABLE 4 Identification of a source of pollution and reported type by enumeration area.
TABLE 5 Reported source of pollution by enumeration area.
TABLE 6 Details of prosecutions brought by the competent authorities in the United Kingdom during 2003.
TABLE 7 Total number of incident reports received from each reporting organisation.
LIST OF PLATES
PLATES 1 & 2 Examples of 71 aluminium canisters recovered on beaches in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight during March 2003 (Courtesy Isle of Wight Council).
PLATE 3 Safety notice identifying the principal types of packages containing pharmaceutical products recovered on beaches in Dorset during January 2003 (Courtesy West Dorset District Council).
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SECTION 1
SUMMARY
Page 1 of 46 SECTION 1: SUMMARY
1.1 Following analysis of 1,575 incident reports and supporting information 585 separate discharges from vessels and offshore oil and gas installations were identified in the survey area during 2003. The reported discharges comprised 87.9% mineral oils, 8.2% chemicals, 0.7% vegetable or animal oils and 3.2% other substances. An overall 16.8% reduction was evident in the total number of incidents reported over the previous year’s total including 64 fewer reports of discharges from oil and gas installations operating on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS).
1.2 The overall geographical pattern for vessel-source oil discharges differed significantly from those plotted in recent years. Some minor clusters were still evident, notably in the vicinities of the Humber and Thames Estuaries and their approaches and near oil and gas installations in the northern North Sea. In contrast, considerably fewer oil discharges were reported in the southern North Sea, Dover Strait, English Channel and Irish Sea. In total, 75% of all discharges were reported in the open sea, 19% in ports and harbours and 6% across the remaining marine environmental zones. At least 26 confirmed discharges were attributed to vessel-casualties including 12 fishing vessels, 6 pleasurecraft, 5 general cargo vessels and an oil tanker.
1.3 Excluding the UKCS enumeration area, 29 vessel-source oil discharges were reported in the open sea during 2003 compared with a mean annual total of 69 vessel-source oil discharges during the previous 4 years. The corresponding statistics for beach oil pollution incidents were 11 and 14.5 respectively. Both sets of statistics indicated a continuing decline in reported oil discharges from vessels operating within the United Kingdom Pollution Control Zone (UKPCZ). Six beach pollution incidents were judged to be significant because of the likely sources, types or extent of pollution. For example, the results from analyses of heavy fuel oil taken from beaches in Kent, Isle of Wight and Guernsey during August indicated the probable source to be the Mtanker Prestige which broke up and sank 260 km west of Vigo on 19 November 2002.
1.4 Estimated volumes of discharges were recorded in 452 incident reports. The modal class for oil discharges was again less than 455 litres but larger spills were reported in 7 of the 11 survey enumeration areas. The largest spillage, 150 tonnes of brine (sodium chloride), occurred on 7 December after a supply vessel accidentally severed a bunkering hose at the Douglas installation. Twenty-one discharges of 2 tonnes or more were reported during 2003 including 15 attributed to offshore oil & gas installations.
1.5 Crude oils accounted for 46% of the identified types of mineral oil discharges. Bunker, diesel and gas oils were spilt in varying quantities from vessels and offshore installations on 158 occasions in all survey enumeration areas. In addition, survey respondents identified 48 chemical spills including ammonium bisulphate, bentonite, cement and additives, corrosion inhibitors, hydraulic fluids, methanol and triethylene glycol. The volumes of chemical spills ranged from 0.01 litres to 150 tonnes with a median value of 400 litres.
Page 2 of 46 1.6 Four successful oil pollution prosecutions were concluded during the year and another case had not been called at the time of reporting. The average fine imposed my Magistrates’ Courts was £6,750.
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Page 3 of 46
SECTION 2
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS AND TREND ASSESSMENTS
Page 4 of 46 SECTION 2: DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS AND TREND ASSESSMENTS
2.1 SURVEY DESIGN
2.1.1 Since 1965 the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS) has compiled statistics and other information on different types marine pollution in the waters around the British Isles. Between 1978 and 1999 the Coastguard Agency’s Marine Pollution Control Unit (MPCU) commissioned an annual survey in which 10 reporting organisations submitted 20,551 reports describing 12,746 oil pollution incidents in the waters around the British Isles. The statistics have been analysed to identify long-term temporal and spatial trends.1
2.1.2 In 2000 the Counter Pollution Branch (CPB) of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) reviewed its future management information requirements concerning discharges from vessels and other offshore sources. The review considered recent developments in prevention and control of discharges from these sources. Following completion of a competitive tendering exercise ACOPS was invited to continue to undertake the annual survey to a revised specification. The differences between the past and revised survey specifications have been identified and discussed in previous annual survey reports2
2.1.3 For some survey attributes, therefore, past and future statistics are not always directly comparable. Moreover, it will not be possible to identify some significant trends in the revised statistics until a sufficient volume of data has been collected over some years.
2.2 CATEGORIES OF REPORTED DISCHARGES
2.2.1 Following analysis of 1,575 incident reports and supporting information 585 separate discharges from vessels and offshore oil and gas installations were identified within the survey area during 2003. A 16.8% decrease was evident in the total number of incidents reported over the previous year’s total. In Table 1 statistics are given showing the different categories and numbers of discharges reported during 2002 and 2003 for each of 11 enumeration areas. Geographical boundaries to each enumeration area and the complete survey area are shown in Figure 1. It should be noted that the statistics for discharges in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS) Oil & Gas enumeration area have been presented in two source categories, offshore oil & gas installations and vessels. This amendment to the presentation of data was requested by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
1 Dixon,T.R. & Mansfield-Williams, M (1998). Long-term analysis of oil spill statistics for the waters around the British Isles 1964-1995. Report submitted to the Coastguard Agency by the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea.
2 Annual Survey of Reported Discharges Attributed to Vessels and Offshore Oil & Gas Installations Operating in the United Kingdom Pollution Control Zone (2000, 2001).
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TABLE 1: TOTAL INCIDENTS REPORTED BY CATEGORY OF POLLUTION AND ENUMERATION AREA FOR 2002 AND 2003(a) .
Enumeration Mineral Garbage Vegetable & Chemicals Other Totals Area oils animal oils substances 1. North-east England 16 (22) - (-) - (1) - (1) - (-) 16 (24) 2. Eastern England 8 (14) - (-) 2 (1) - (1) - (-) 10 (16) 3. Essex & Kent 18 (18) - (-) - (1) - (-) - (-) 18 (19) 4. Southern England 12 (16) - (-) - (-) - (-) 2 (-) 14 (16) 5. South-west England 17 (39) - (-) 1 (-) - (1) - (-) 18 (40) 6. Bristol Channel & South Wales 24 (27) - (-) - (-) - (-) - (-) 24 (27) 7. Irish Sea 10 (16) - (-) - (-) - (-) - (-) 10 (16) 8. Western Scotland 22 (19) - (-) - (-) - (-) 1 (-) 23 (19) 9. Orkney & Shetland Islands 9 (13) - (-) - (-) - (-) - (-) 9 (13) 10. Eastern Scotland 30 (17) - (-) 1 (1) 1 (-) - (-) 32 (18) 11. UKCS oil & gas installations 325 (422) - (-) - (-) 47 (6) 16 (24) 388 (452) 11. UKCS vessels 23 (41) - (-) - (-) - (1) - (1) 23 (43) Totals 514 (664) - (-) 4 (4) 48 (10) 19 (25) 585 (703)
(a) The figures in parenthesis are the corresponding values from the 2002 survey.
Page 6 of 46 Page 7 of 46 2.2.2 The reported discharges comprised 87.9% mineral oils, 8.2% chemicals, 0.7% vegetable or animal oils and 3.2% other substances. The total numbers and relative proportions of reported oil and chemical discharges differed significantly from those reported during 2002. The total number of oil discharges reported during 2003 declined by 150 compared with an additional 32 reports of discharges of chemicals and other substances. There were no reports of any observed discharges of garbage from vessels or offshore installations in the 2003 returns.
2.2.3 The statistics presented in Table 1 show reductions in the total number of incidents reported during 2003 across all enumeration areas with the exception of the Orkney & Shetland Islands and eastern Scotland. Nearly all chemical spills were attributed to oil & gas installations operating on the UKCS. Further details for each enumeration area are presented in Section 4.
2.3 LOCATIONS OF REPORTED DISCHARGES
2.3.1 Distributions of reported discharges are presented utilising two geographical scales. To facilitate comparisons with previous years’ data locations of reported vessel-source oil discharges during 2003 are plotted in Figure 2. Data for ports are grouped for the purposes of clarity. The locations of all reported incidents, when known, are identified in Appendix 1 and they are further examined in each of the enumeration area reports contained in Section 4.
2.3.2 The overall geographical pattern for vessel-source oil discharges in the survey area during 2003 differed significantly from those plotted in recent years. Some minor clusters were still evident, notably in the vicinities of the Humber and Thames Estuaries and their approaches, and near oil and gas installations operating in the northern North Sea. In contrast, considerably fewer vessel-source oil discharges were reported in the southern North Sea, Dover Strait, English Channel and Irish Sea.
2.3.3 The geographical locations of all discharges are further analysed by their distribution across five marine environmental zones in each enumeration area; open sea, tidal river or estuary, bay or nearshore waters, beach or shore and port or harbour. The results are presented in Table 2 which show that 75% of all discharges were reported in the open sea, 19% in ports or harbours and 6% across the remaining zones. The corresponding 2002 statistics were 78%, 17% and 5% respectively. The major differences between the two sets of statistics were attributed primarily to 64 fewer reports of discharges from oil and gas installations in the open sea.
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2.3.4 Excluding the UKCS enumeration area, 29 vessel-source oil discharges were reported in the open sea marine environmental zone during 2002 compared with a mean annual total of 69 vessel-source oil discharges during the previous 4 years. The current figure, therefore, represents a 58% reduction over the previous 4 year mean value. A similar downward trend of 27% over the previous 4 year mean value was also evident in the total number of shoreline oil pollution incidents reported during 2003.3 These trends indicate a continuing decline in reported vessel-source discharges throughout the United Kingdom Pollution Control Zone (UKPCZ).
2.3.5 Six of the 14 beach pollution incidents reported during 2003 were judged to be significant because of the likely sources, types or extent of pollution. Reporting organisations attributed two beach pollutions to vessel-casualty incidents outside the UKPCZ survey area. Sporadic pollution of the Suffolk, Essex and Kent coastlines between 17 and 24 February was traced to the wreck of the Mv Tricolor lying 48 km east of Margate (refer to sections 4.2 and 4.3). Likewise, the results from analyses of heavy fuel oil taken from beaches in Kent, Isle of Wight and Guernsey during August indicated the probable source to be the Mtanker Prestige which broke in two and sank 260 km west of Vigo (Spain) on 19 November 2002 (refer to sections 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5).
2.3.6 Two beach incidents involved large numbers of packages whose contents were initially thought to contain hazardous substances but were later found to be harmless. A total of 678 receptacles filled with pharmaceutical products, including 495 phials of anthrax vaccine, was recovered from a stretch of the Dorset coastline between 20 and 24 January (Plate 3). The Ministry of Defence later confirmed that the anthrax vaccines were destined for military use. The second incident occurred between 12 and 17 March after 71 aluminium canisters were washed ashore on beaches in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight (Plates 1 & 2). Military personnel x-rayed some flasks and determined that they did not contain explosive or flammable material and could therefore be safely handled (refer to section 4.4).
2.3.7 Another two beach pollution incidents were judged as significant because of the extent of pollution. Weathered crude oil residues were removed from amenity beaches at various locations in the Orkney and Shetland Islands and on the coast of eastern Scotland. The source of the oil was identified as a leaking seabed pipeline serving the Beatrice Field (refer to sections 4.9, 4.10 & 4.11). Similar extensive pollution was reported along the East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire coastlines later in the year but a source was not identified.
3 This trend is also evident in the beach cleanliness statistics compiled by Environmental Campaigns (formerly Tidy Britain Group) since 1993. During the 2003 Resorts Survey 171 UK resort beaches were inspected with only a single reference to evidence of oil pollution at Rest Bay, Porthcawl.
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TABLE 2: TOTAL INCIDENTS REPORTED AND DISTRIBUTION BY (a) MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL ZONE AND ENUMERATION AREA .
Enumeration area Open sea Tidal river/ Bay/nearshore Beach/shore Port/harbour Totals estuary waters 1. North-east England 6 2 - - 8 16 2. Eastern England 5 (2) - - 1 4 10 (2) 3. Essex & Kent 3 3 - 2 10 18 4. Southern England 2 - - 3 (2) 9 14 (2) 5. South-west England 5 - 3 3 (1) 7 18 (1) 6. Bristol Channel & South Wales - - 2 2 20 24 7. Irish Sea - - 2 1 7 10 8. Western Scotland 2 - 5 - 16 (1) 23 (1) 9. Orkney & Shetland Islands 1 - - 2 6 9 10. Eastern Scotland 5 (1) 1 1 - 25 (1) 32 (2) 11. UKCS oil & gas installations 388 (63) - - - - 388 (63) 11. UKCS vessels 23 - - - - 23 Totals 440 (66) 6 13 14 (3) 112 (2) 585 (71)
a) The figures in parenthesis are included in the totals and refer to incidents involving discharges of substances other than mineral oil.
Page 11 of 46 2.4 AMOUNT AND EXTENT OF REPORTED INCIDENTS
2.4.1 Information describing observed dimensions and volumes of pollution for each enumeration area is presented in Table 3. It should be noted, however, that details of the extent of pollution were not available for 66% of the total number of incidents reported. Likewise, estimates for volumes of discharges were not confirmed in written reports for 133 incidents.
2.4.2 Excluding discharges from offshore oil & gas installations approximately 6% of oil slicks were greater than 1.6 km in length when this information was reported. Broadly comparable statistics from the 1985, 1995 and 2002 surveys were 15%, 15% and 10% respectively. Respondents identified 11 beach pollution incidents involving oil and 8 of these were classified as extensive, affecting more than 1.6 km of coastline. The statistics for the previous year were 10 and 5 respectively.
2.4.3 Estimated volumes of discharges were recorded in 452 incident reports. The modal class for oil discharges was again less than 455 litres but larger volumes were recorded in 7 of the 11 survey enumeration areas. In total 8% of oil discharges were greater than 455 litres, when this information was recorded, the same value as the previous year. The corresponding value for discharges of other substances, including chemicals, was 38%.
2.4.4 The largest chemical spillage, 150 tonnes of brine (sodium chloride), occurred on 7 December after a supply vessel accidentally severed a bunkering hose at the Douglas installation. The largest oil spill, 75 tonnes of diesel oil, occurred after the Mv RMS Mulheim ran aground at Gamper Bay on 23 March. In Section 3 details are provided for 21 discharges of 2 tonnes or more attributed to vessels and offshore oil and gas installations.
2.5 TYPES OF POLLUTION
2.5.1 Statistics showing the different types of discharges and polluting substances within the categories mineral oils, garbage and other substances are presented in Table 4. Mineral oils were again the most frequently recorded polluting substances and generals types were identified in 95% of incident reports. Crude oils accounted for 46% of the identified types of mineral oil discharges and this figure was 8% higher than the previous year’s. There were only 3 reports of crude oil pollution outside the UKCS enumeration area and these reports referred to a small tanker spill in a port, a minor beach pollution incident and a large patch of crude oil in the open sea.
2.5.2 Bunker, diesel, fuel and gas oils were spilt in varying quantities from vessels or offshore installations on 158 occasions in all enumeration areas. The spills occurred most frequently in the UKCS, eastern Scotland, western Scotland and south-west England enumeration areas. Discharges of lubrication and hydraulic oils were also recorded in all enumeration areas with the exception of north-east England and eastern England.
Page 12 of 46 TABLE 3: AMOUNT AND EXTENT OF REPORTED POLLUTION BY ENUMERATION AREA(a).
Enumeration area Extent of pollution (b) Estimated volumes of discharges Water surface Shoreline 1-455 456 litres – 1-50 >50 Not litres 999 litres tonnes tonnes known <1.6 km >1.6 km < 1.6 km > 1.6 km 1. North-east England 16 - - - 9 1 2 - 4 2. Eastern England 4 (2) 5 - 1 5 - - - 5 (2) 3. Essex & Kent 15 1 - 2 11 - - - 7 4. Southern England 11 - - 3 (2) 9 1 - - 4 (2) 5. South-west England 14 1 - 3 (1) 6 1 - 1 10 (1) 6. Bristol Channel & South Wales 22 - - 2 14 1 1 - 8 7. Irish Sea 9 - 1 - 10 - - - - 8. Western Scotland 22 (1) 1 - - 18 (1) - 5 - - 9. Orkney & Shetland Islands 7 - 2 - 8 - - - 1 10. Eastern Scotland 32 (2) - - - 25 (2) 2 - - 5 11. UKCS oil & gas installations (c) (c) (d) (d) 267 (34) 13 (4) 24 (18) 1 (1) 83 (6) 11. UKCS vessels 21 2 (d) (d) 14 1 2 - 6 Totals 173 (5) 10 3 11 (3) 396 (37) 20 (4) 34 (18) 2 (1) 133 (11)
(a) The figures in parenthesis are included in the totals and refer to incidents involving discharges of substances other than mineral oil. (b) The units given are the maximum observed dimensions of pollution on water or the shoreline. The data were derived from 197 incident reports in which this information was recorded. (c) Information not reported. (d) Not applicable.
Page 13 of 46 2.5.3 Respondents described the remaining types of mineral oil discharges as base oils, coolants, emulsions, heating mediums, oily bilge water, reclaimed oil, slops, tarry lumps or tar, washings and waste oils.
2.5.4 There were again no references in the 2003 reports of any observed discharges of garbage to sea from vessels. Vegetable oils were identified as polluting substances on 4 occasions and all reports referred to discharges from vessels undertaking tank cleaning operations in the open sea. On at least one occasion there was evidence that the tank washings later contaminated local amenity beaches.
2.5.5 Survey respondents reported 48 chemical spills during 2003 and all, with the exception of a 5 litre spillage of ethanol from a tanker in Grangemouth, were attributed to offshore oil and gas installations. The most frequently identified substances or materials were ammonium bisulphate, bentonite, cement and additives, corrosion inhibitors, hydraulic fluids, methanol and triethylene glycol. The volumes of discharges ranged from 0.01 litres to 150 tonnes with a median value of 400 litres. Further details of each incident are provided in Appendix 1. Details of other types of discharges, primarily oil-based mud from offshore oil and gas installations, are also provided in Appendix 1.
2.6 REPORTED SOURCES OF POLLUTION
2.6.1 The revised survey specification required survey data which facilitate objective assessments of vessel/offshore sourced marine pollution in the UK pollution control zone. In accordance with above requirement a number of assumptions were made concerning the source of a discharge which could not be attributed to particular vessel, rig, platform or other offshore installation.
2.6.2 In the open sea (including the UKCS) all confirmed reports of pollution from unidentified sources were attributed to discharges from vessels. This method of sourcing was based upon the assumption that these discharges did not originate from an unidentified land-based source or wreck.
2.6.3 For the remaining marine environmental zones, only confirmed or suspected discharges from vessels and rigs/platforms were included in the database. Hence, all reports of pollution from unidentified sources within these zones were automatically excluded from the annual statistics. In practice, an unidentified number of pollution reports attributed to unknown sources actually originated from vessel discharges. This method of attribution, therefore, under-estimates the true volume of pollution attributed to vessels operating in ports, nearshore waters and the tidal stretches of rivers. The resulting statistics should be interpreted accordingly.
2.6.4 The figures in Table 4 show, for each enumeration area, the numbers of pollution incidents in which a vessel/offshore source was confirmed or simply suspected. From confirmed reports the different types of vessels and installations identified as sources of pollution are identified in Table 5.
Page 14 of 46 TABLE 4: IDENTIFICATION OF A SOURCE OF POLLUTION AND REPORTED TYPE BY ENUMERATION AREA.
Vessel/offshore Types of pollution (a) Enumeration Area pollution source (b) Mineral oils Garbage Other substances
Identified Suspected 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1. North-east England 12 4 - 8 - 6 2 ------2. Eastern England 5 (2) 5 - 4 - - 4 - - - 2 - - - - 3. Essex & Kent 13 5 - 9 2 3 4 ------4. Southern England 10 4 (2) - 6 2 2 2 ------2 - 5. South-west England 11 (1) 7 - 12 1 1 3 - - - 1 - - - - 6 6. 6. 6.Bristol Channel & South Wales 20 4 - 16 2 3 3 ------7. Irish Sea 8 2 1 5 2 1 1 ------8. Western Scotland 21 (1) 2 2 18 2 ------1 - 9. Orkney & Shetland Islands 7 2 - 4 4 - 1 ------10. Eastern Scotland 23 (2) 9 - 21 2 3 4 - - - 1 - 1 - - 11. UKCS oil & gas installations 388 (63) - 206 50 44 23 2 - - - - 16 47 - - 11. UKCS vessels 2 21 12 5 1 - 5 ------Totals 520 (69) 65 (2) 221 158 62 42 31 - - - 4 16 48 3 - Percentage of total reports 89 11 38 27 11 7 5 - - 0.7 2.7 8.2 0.5 -
Key: Mineral Oils 1: Crude oil. 2: Bunker, diesel, fuel and gas oils. 3: Lubrication & hydraulic oils. 4: Other oil types. 5: Unidentified oil. Garbage 6: Galley wastes. 7: Other garbage types. 8. Unidentified type of garbage. Other substances 9: Animal & vegetable oils. 10: Synthetic & oil based mud and related products. 11: Chemical substances. 12: Other substances. 13: Unidentified substances.
(a) The figures are frequencies for each of the categories shown and more than one entry may be made for each pollution incident. (b) The figures in parenthesis are included in the totals and refer to incidents involving discharges of substances other than mineral oils.
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2.6.5 This method of analysis showed that oil and gas installations operating on the UKCS (excluding 2 spills from rigs in ports) accounted for 75% of all confirmed discharges. Corresponding statistics for fishing vessels, general cargo vessels, oil & chemical tankers and offshore support vessels were 7%, 7%, 4% and 2% respectively.
2.6.6 At least 26 confirmed discharges were attributed to vessel-casualties including 12 fishing vessels, 6 pleasurecraft, 5 general cargo vessels, 2 workboats and the wreck of the Mtanker Prestige 250 km west of Vigo. The vessel-casualty spills occurred in all enumeration areas with the exception of eastern England and southern England, although in both areas some beach pollution was attributed to vessel-casualties outside UKPCZ survey area.
2.6.7 Comparisons between the 2002 and 2003 statistics showed 17 fewer confirmed discharges attributed to all types of vessels operating in all marine environmental zones. A decrease was evident for each type of vessel with the exception of oil tankers (5 additional discharges during 2003), general cargo vessels (no change) and other types of vessels (2 more spills during 2003).
2.6.8 Moreover, the total of 107 confirmed oil discharges attributed to non-tanker vessels operating in all marine environmental zones during 2003 was 25% lower than the 2000-2002 mean annual total of 142 discharges. Likewise, the 17 tanker-source oil discharges reported during 2003 were 23% fewer than the 2000-2002 mean annual total of 22 discharges.
2.7 PROSECUTIONS
2.7.1 Details of 4 prosecutions brought by the competent authorities in the United Kingdom for oil pollution offences during 2003 are summarised in Table 6. Another case had not been called at the time of reporting and details will be provided in the next survey report. During 2002 two successful prosecutions were concluded for oil pollution offences and the total fines imposed amounted to £102,500.
2.7.2 Three reporting organisations submitted details of a 1 tonne discharge of intermediate fuel oil on 9 May from the Hong Kong registered Mv Zuljalal berthed in Blyth Harbour. The vessel was detained in harbour whilst evidence was gathered through the collection of formal samples of the oils onboard the vessel and in the harbour. A prosecution was subsequently brought by the Blyth Harbour Commission which resulted in a fine of £5,000 together with £90,000 investigation and clean-up costs (refer to section 4.1).
2.7.3 A fine of £15,000 was imposed by local Magistrates following a 1.8 tonne diesel spillage from the Mtanker Venture at the Petroplus Berth in Milford Haven on 13 September. The clean-up operation extended over a two-day interval and the cause of the incident was later identified as a cargo tank overflow through ventilator pipes.
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TABLE 5: REPORTED SOURCE OF POLLUTION BY ENUMERATION AREA(a).
Enumeration area Mct Mfv Msv Mt Mv Ooi Pc Wr O 1. North-east England - 4 1 1 3 - - - 3 2. Eastern England - 1 - 1 2 (2) - - - 1 3. Essex & Kent - 2 - 1 8 - 1 - 1 4. Southern England - - - 1 4 - 1 - 4 5. South-west England - 3 - 1 (1) 2 - 2 - 3 6. Bristol Channel & South Wales 1 9 - 7 2 - 1 - - 7. Irish Sea - 1 - - 3 - 1 - 3 8. Western Scotland - 10 - 1 6 - 1 - 3 (1) 9. Orkney & Shetland Islands - 1 - 3 1 - 1 - 1 10. Eastern Scotland 1 (1) 4 10 - 3 (1) 2 2 - 1 11. UKCS oil & gas installations - - - - - 388 (63) - - - 11. UKCS vessels - 1 - 1 - - - - - Totals 2(1) 36 11 17 (1) 34 (3) 390 (63) 10 - 20 (1)
Key: Mct: Chemical tanker. Mfv: Fishing vessel. Msv: Offshore support vessel. Mt: Coastal oil tanker/VLCC. Mv: General cargo vessel. Ooi: Offshore oil or gas installation. Pc: Pleasurecraft. Wr: Wreck. O: Other type of vessel.
(a) The figures in parenthesis are included in the totals and refer to incidents involving discharges of substances other than mineral oils
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TABLE 6: DETAILS OF PROSECUTIONS BROUGHT BY THE COMPETENT AUTHORITIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM DURING 2003.
Date and location of incident Name of vessel or offshore Prosecution brought by Fine installation and type of pollution 15 January, Milford Dock Mfv Van Eyck, 50 litres diesel oil Milford Haven Port Authority £2,000 29 January, Milford Dock Mfv Zilver Meeuw, 750 litres diesel oil Milford Haven Port Authority £5,000 11 May, Port of Blyth Mv Zuljalal, 1 tonne fuel oil Port of Blyth Commission £5,000 13 September, Milford Haven Mtanker Venture, 1.8 tonnes diesel oil Milford Haven Port Authority £15,000
Prosecutions brought under Prevention of Oil Pollution Act 1971, Control of Pollution Act 1974, Merchant Shipping Act 1995, Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Oil Pollution) Regulations 1996, Merchant Shipping (Dangerous or Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk) (Amendment) Regulations 1996, Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage) Regulations 1998
Page 18 of 46 2.8 REPORTING EFFORT
2.8.1 The number of incident reports received from each of 10 reporting organisations is shown in Table 7. The total number of reports received and processed was 1,575 from which 585 separate incidents were subsequently identified and entered into the 2003 database. Follow-up telephone calls and postal or Email reminders were again employed to achieve the required response rates.
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TABLE 7: TOTAL NUMBER OF INCIDENT REPORTS RECEIVED FROM EACH REPORTING ORGANISATION.
Reporting organisations Total number of reports received Sea Fisheries Committees in England & Wales 9 United Kingdom Ports 165 Scottish Local Authorities 43 Department of Trade & Industry 414 Environment Agency 30 English and Welsh Local Authorities 187 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 704 Northern Ireland Environment & Heritage Service 3 Scottish Environment Protection Agency 18 Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 2 Grand Total 1,575
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SECTION 3
SUMMARY OF LARGER DISCHARGES (2 TONNES OR MORE)
Page 21 of 46 SECTION 3: SUMMARY OF LARGER DISCHARGES (TWO TONNES OR MORE) DURING 2003 (refer to Section 4 and Appendix 1 for further details of each incident).
The figures given below are indicative of the volumes of pollution confirmed in written reports. However, incidents in which significant amounts of beach material were mixed with pollutants, or where the volumes of pollution were not indicated or measured, are not included.
3.1 UKCS 7 December (11-UKCS/1571). Approximately 150 tonnes of brine (sodium chloride) were accidentally discharged to sea after a supply vessel severed a bunkering hose at the Douglas installation. To prevent a recurrence procedures and working practices for bulk chemicals were reviewed to raise control to the same levels as those exercised for diesel bunkering.
3.2 South West England 23 March (05-SW/939). The general cargo ship Mv RMS Mulheim (1,846 gt, built 1999) ran aground on rocks at Gamper Bay near Sennen Cove on 22 March. The vessel’s fuel tank was ruptured causing a diesel spillage of approximately 75 tonnes. The immediate impacts on the fishing and tourism industries were minimal as the oil was dispersed by wave action. Over the following 2 months the remaining pollutants and most of the cargo of shredded plastic were removed from the wreck.
3.3 UKCS 9 March (11-UKCS/152). A split ‘T’ piece’ in a production header caused a 36 tonne crude oil spillage from Talisman’s Beatrice Bravo installation. Production was shut down until repairs had been successfully completed.
3.4 UKCS 4 January (11-UKCS/548). The Schiehallion installation reported an accidental discharge of 28 tonnes of cement from a vent line. An investigation identified human error as the cause of the incident.
3.5 Western Scotland 23 June (08-WS/228). A large crude oil slick with an estimated volume of 26 tonnes was reported in the open sea off Cape Wrath. The source of the oil could not be identified and it was assumed that the pollution was dispersed by wave action.
3.6 UKCS 28 May (11-UKCS/326). Approximately 25 tonnes of mono-ethylene escaped to sea following damage to the Bacton to Leman chemical pipeline. Emergency procedures were initiated and the damaged section of the pipeline was replaced.
3.7 UKCS 21 October (11-UKCS/1566). Approximately 24 tonnes of treated seawater containing 65 litres of chemicals (7.5 litres OS2, 5 litres Bactron BH10, 50 litres Gyptron SA 11 & 2 litres Flourescein dye) were accidentally discharged to sea at the Clapham Field. The incident occurred after a line parted between the Msv Skandi Inspector and a subsea installation during a pigging operation. A chemical incident investigation was underway at the time of reporting.
Page 22 of 46 3.8 UKCS 24 January (11-UKCS/077). A faulty reading weight indicator in a surge tank was identified as the cause of a 20 tonne accidental discharge of bentonite from the Noble Ton Van Langeveld installation. Improved procedures were introduced to prevent any recurrence of the incident.
3.9 UKCS 15 April (11-UKCS/266). The Ravenspurn North installation reported a 19 tonne accidental discharge of triethylene glycol which was caused by back pressure. The platform was temporarily shut down and maintenance reviewed.
3.10 UKCS 18 July (11-UKCS/1550). Approximately 12,300 kg of the chemical lubricant Transaqua HT seeped from a defective subsea control line at Kerr McGee’s Janice installation. The necessary repairs were quickly completed.
3.11 UKCS 20 October (11-UKCS/1565). A flexible hose failure on a temporary heating medium filtration skid caused a 10 tonne chemical spillage from the Gannet Alpha installation. The heating medium solution comprised 8.7 m3 potable water, 1.3 m3 triethylene glycol and 780 ppm sodium nitrite (Nalfleet 9111C).
3.12 UKCS 14 August (12-UKCS/490). The Mfv Elhanant sank with 9.2 tonnes of diesel onboard. Diesel and flotsam were later observed on the water surface above the wreck site. The pollution was broken up and dispersed by wave action.
3.13 UKCS 13 May (11-UKCS/1544). Shell UK reported a 7.12 tonne leakage of a hydraulic chemical from the Dunlin Alpha installation. The source of the leakage was later identified as a subsea manifold system and a risk assessment was undertaken to determine the environmental effects of the incident.
3.14 UKCS 25 July (11-UKCS/1552). A 6,996 kg leakage of hydraulic control fluid (Ocean HW540, monoethylene glycol >25%) was reported at the Gryphon installation. The source of the leak was traced to a control line riser base which was later repaired.
3.15 UKCS 5 December (11-UKCS/1570). Back pressure in a sump tank caused a 6 tonne spillage of triethylene glycol from the Ravenspurn North installation. The platform was temporarily shut down until the cause of the problem was identified and an investigation completed.
3.16 UKCS 8 November (11-UKCS/1050). A 5.5 tonne spillage of diesel at the Vulcan installation was caused by an insecure valve in a crane filling line from a main storage tank.
3.17 UKCS 29 September (11-UKCS/1561). The Sedco 712 installation reported a 3,778 kg discharge of residual cement and additives from a batch tank.
3.18 Western Scotland 29 July (08-WS/401). The Mfv Charuny III sank off Canna in the Sea of Hebridies with 3 tonnes of diesel on board. A slick was later observed on the water surface above the wreck site and was dispersed by wave action. No further reports of pollution were received.
Page 23 of 46 3.19 UKCS 21 May (12/-UKCS/313). A large fuel oil slick with an estimated volume of 2.45 tonnes was reported by the Miller installation. Investigations failed to identify the source of pollution. Subsequent reports indicated that the oil was quickly dispersed by wave action.
3.20 North East England 6 June (01-NE/194). The Mfv Diana (24 gt, built 1971) lost 2 tonnes of fuel oil to sea after it sank following collision with the bulker Santa Vitoria (40,030 gt, built 2002) at anchor off Spurn Point at the mouth of the River Humber.
3.21 Western Scotland 29 June (08-WS/230). Approximately 2 tonnes of diesel leaked from the wreck of the Cypriot registered bulker Jambo (1,990 gt, built 1990) after the vessel hit rocks and sank at the entrance to Loch Broom 24 km north west of Ullapool. Approximately 83 tonnes of diesel were later recovered from the wreck using ‘hot tapping’ operations together with an estimated 1,900 tonnes of the 3,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate cargo.
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Page 24 of 46
SECTION 4
ENUMERATION AREA SUMMARY REPORTS
4.1. North-east England
4.2. Eastern England
4.3. Essex & Kent
4.4. Southern England
4.5. South-west England
4.6. Bristol Channel & South Wales
4.7. Irish Sea
4.8. Western Scotland
4.9. Orkney & Shetland Islands
4.10. Eastern Scotland
4.11. UKCS (Oil & gas installations and vessels)
Page 25 of 46 4.1 North-east England (Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Durham, Yorkshire and The Humber).
4.1.1 Sixteen confirmed or suspected vessel-source pollution incidents were identified from 64 questionnaire returns or other reports submitted by respondents. All responses referred to oil discharges and the scale and intensity of pollution were generally identified as minor. Three spills, however, were greater than 455 litres and the most frequently identified types of polluting substances were again various grades of fuel oils which were attributed to a specific vessel on ten occasions.
4.1.2 Eight oil spills were recorded in the ports and harbours of North-east England during 2003. Associated British Ports (ABP) Hull submitted comprehensive accounts of 3 pollution incidents attributed to specific vessels. A hose failure caused a 136 litre spillage of waste oil from the Mv Arctic Warrior into the King George Dock at Hull on 2 January. On 17 February 100 litres of diesel oil were spilt into the Alexandra Dock from the bunker barge Rix Merlin during a transfer operation from another vessel. A 500 litre spillage of slops was attributed to the Msv Noren on 23 August whilst the vessel was berthed in the King George Dock.
4.1.3 A small spillage was thought to have originated from a vessel connected to the Tetney Mono Buoy in the River Humber on 30 June. A tug was tasked to the area to disperse the pollution by propeller agitation. During the following week the Mfv Marbella accidentally discharged 50 litres of diesel oil into the River Humber at the South Killingholme Oil Jetty during a transfer operation from a bunker barge.4 The Environment Agency (EA) recorded a 45 litre bunkering spill from the Mtug Lady Moira on 4 May. A police helicopter reported sighting another oil slick in the River Humber on 8 June. The cause of an oil spillage at the Grimsby Fish Dock on 20 November was identified as a hose failure.
4.1.4 Three reporting organisations submitted details of a 1 tonne discharge of intermediate fuel oil on 9 May from the Hong Kong registered Mv Zuljalal berthed in Blyth Harbour. An investigation was carried out by the Blyth Harbour Commission and EA. The vessel was detained in harbour whilst evidence was gathered through the collection of formal samples of the oils onboard the vessel and in the harbour. A clean- up operation was undertaken over a number of weeks by the port’s contractors. A prosecution was subsequently brought by the Blyth Harbour Commission which resulted in a fine of £5,000 together with £90,000 investigation and clean-up costs. A small angling boat was identified as the source of a minor bunkering spill at Berwick. The Berwick Harbour Commission organised a clean-up operation and the boat-owner was cautioned.
4.1.5 Two fishing vessels and a supply vessel were identified as sources of 3 of 6 oil slicks reported in the open sea. Approximately 250 litres of fuel oil seeped from the wreck of the Mfv Boy Jim off Berwick on Tweed on 6 June and the pollution was later dispersed by wave action. A further 2 tonnes of fuel oil escaped to sea from the Mfv Diana (24 gt, built 1971) which sank whilst being towed to Bridlington by the Humber lifeboat. The whelker had earlier collided with the bulker Santa Vitoria
4 A fishing vessel with the same name collided with the Rough Gas Platform on May 8 2002 causing damage put at £598,000 (Lloyd’s List, 22 August & 23 October 2003).
Page 26 of 46 which was at anchor off Spurn Point (Lloyd’s List, 9 June). The Msv Seisranger reported a minor spillage of diesel oil following a hose failure on 3 October.
4.1.6 Weathered lumps of oil were washed ashore between Scarborough and Spurn Point during the third week of October. Similar oil residues were reported on beaches at various points along the Lincolnshire coastline during the same period and therefore the 2 reports were treated as the same incident (refer to section 4.2).
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Page 27 of 46 4.2 Eastern England (Lincolnshire, Norfolk & Suffolk)
4.2.1 Fewer discharges from shipping were reported in eastern England waters for the second successive year. Further analysis of the information contained in 45 questionnaire returns, and other reports, identified 5 discharges to the open sea, 4 spills in local ports and a single beach pollution incident. Accidental discharges from gas installations operating off eastern England were included in the statistics for the UKCS (refer to section 4.11).
4.2.2 Three oil slicks and discharges of rapeseed oil and palm oil were reported in the open sea, mostly off the Norfolk coastline. The 3 oil slicks were all greater than 1.6 km in length when reported and were attributed to unidentified vessels including an oil tanker.
4.2.3 The Master of a Dutch fishing vessel reported a pollution incident off Orfordness on 27 January. Atlantic 405 overflew the area and observed a discharge of crude rapeseed from the Mv Sea Trust following a tank washing operation.5 A similar type of incident was reported on 7 April following a deliberate discharge of palm oil from the Mv Ditte Theresa during tank cleaning operations in open sea off Cromer.
4.2.4 An oil slick 8 km long was observed trailing an unidentified oil tanker on 5 May. Another two large oil slicks were reported by a passing helicopter and during an Atlantic 406 surveillance flight on 5 June and 14 June respectively.
4.2.5 The EA reported sporadic pollution of the Suffolk and Essex coastline with lumps of medium/heavy oil from the Mv Tricolor between 19 and 24 February (refer to section 4.3). During the second week of October residual oil residues described as ‘black lumps with a treacle-like consistency’ were washed ashore at various points along the East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire coastlines between Scarborough and Sutton-on-Sea. No further details were available from local authorities at the time of reporting including results from analyses of oil samples.
4.2.6 Four minor pollution incidents were recorded in local ports during the year. Suspected bunkering spills were reported at King’s Lynn and Brancaster 23 April and 9 October respectively. The oil recovery vessel Haven Hornbill was deployed in a clean-up operation following a 20 litre spillage of fuel oil from a vessel at Felixstowe on 17 November. Another clean-up operation was required following a 23 litre diesel spillage from the Mtug Brightwell in the same location on 5 December.
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5 A vessel with the same name was identified as the source of a vegetable oil discharge in the southern North Sea off Felixstowe on 11 June 2002.
Page 28 of 46 4.3 Essex and Kent
4.3.1 The reported sources and geographical distribution of vessel-source pollution incidents were similar to those recorded in previous years. Eighteen separate oil pollution incidents were reported and most involved comparatively small quantities of fuel oils or oily wastes, primarily in ports and in the open sea. A specific source of pollution was identified on 13 occasions including the Mtanker Prestiege which sank 260 km west of Vigo (Spain) on 19 November 2002 and the Mv Tricolor which sank 32 km northwest of Dunkirk on 14 December 2002.
4.3.2 Local authorities, EA and the MCA submitted details of sporadic pollution affecting the Suffolk (Felixstowe), Essex (Walton on Naze) and Kent (Thanet & Greatstone) coastlines between 17 and 24 of February. Following analyses of samples the origin of the heavy oil was believed to have been the wreck of the Mv Tricolor lying 48 km east of Margate.6
4.3.3 Local authorities also drew attention to further minor beach pollution at Ramsgate, Palm Bay and Joss Bay on 20 and 21 August. The results from analyses indicated the probable source to be heavy fuel oil carried by the Mtanker Prestige.7 Oil samples collected from beaches on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight on 26 and 27 July, and from the west coast of Guernsey on 7 July, were found to be identical to the Kent samples and were attributed to the same source. Analysts noted the minimal environmental weathering of the oil samples which had drifted more than 500 km from the wreck site. For the purposes of this survey the 3 reports of beach pollution were treated as a single incident as the oil had been traced to the same source.
6 The Norwegian registered vehicle carrier Mv Tricolor (49,792 gt, built 1987) capsized and sank in French waters 32 km northwest of Dunkirk on 14 December 2002 following a collision with the containership Mv Kariba (20,829 gt, built 1982) in thick fog. The wreck was lying in 25 metres of water with 2,000 tonnes bunker oil on-board. The wreck site was ringed with beacons and 3 patrol vessels regularly broadcast navigational warnings. Despite these precautions the Mv Nicola (2,998 gt, built 2000) struck the wreckage on 16 December followed by the double hulled bulk/oil Mv Vicky (43,487 gt, built 1981), with a cargo of 70,000 tonnes of kerosene, on 1 January 2003.
A salvage operation was underway throughout 2003 involving removal of individual sections of the Tricolor’s hull. Approximately 1,600 tonnes of bunkers were removed from the wreck. Anti-pollution craft were employed to deal with minor spillages of fuel oil during the salvage operation and following subsequent collisions with the wreck. Further clean-up operations were required after generally minor amounts of weathered oil were washed ashore with oiled seabirds at several points along the French and Belgian coastlines (Lloyd’s List, 16, 17 & 18 December, 2002; 3, 6, 7, 13, 27, 28, 29 & 31 January; 11 September & 14 October 2003).
7 The Bahamas registered tanker Prestige (42,820 gt), laden with 77,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil broke in two and sank 260 km west of Vigo (Spain) on 19 November 2002. The bow and stern sections are lying in some 3,500 metres of water and estimated to contain 13,300 tonnes and 900 tonnes of oil respectively. The Spanish authorities are considering various options for removing oil from the wreck. Due to the highly persistent nature of the tanker’s cargo, released oil drifted for extended periods with winds and currents and subsequently affected the Atlantic coast from Vigo in Spain to Brest in France, as well as causing intermittent and light contamination on the French and English coasts of the United Kingdom as far as the Dover Strait. To date approximately 1,900 km of shoreline have been affected in Spain and France (International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund 1992, Executive Committee 22nd Session, Agenda Item 3, 8 October 2003).
Page 29 of 46 4.3.4 Respondents identified 6 separate oil discharges from vessels operating in estuaries and the open sea. All were relatively minor in nature and the pollution was usually dispersed by wave action. An unidentified vessel was identified as the source of an oil discharge to the River Stour on 10 March. A 100m patch of diesel was reported on 30 October and this was attributed to the Mfv Pheonix which sank off Mersea. A 7 km long oil slick off Margate was reported by several passing vessels. A mechanical fault was identified as the cause of a 10 litre discharge of lubrication oil from the Mv Lord Hinton on 12 March.
4.3.5 Responses were received from all port and harbour authorities and most submitted nil returns for the year including the Port of London Authority (PLA). The Harwich Haven Authority described 3 oil spills attributed to vessels. On 14 April the Mv Kinsale spilt 10 litres of fuel oil which was removed from the water surface. The Mv Anvil Point was identified as the source of a 2 litre spillage of hydraulic oil on 9 July. Small booms and absorbent cloths were employed to remove lumps of a degreasing agent from the River Stour on 29 August.
4.3.6 Elsewhere, Kent County Council, EA and MCA reports referred to a 50 litre spillage of fuel oil from the Mv SC Baltic at the inner berth of the Thames Refinery on 25 February. An overflow during transfer of bunkers was later identified as the cause of the spill and a recovery vessel was deployed by the PLA. Another 50 litre fuel oil spillage was reported by the Medway Ports Authority at Sheerness on 5 May. A derelict vessel at Deptford Creek was identified as the suspected source of an oil sheen. The Medway Ports Authority carried out a clean-up operation following an accidental discharge of fuel oil from the Mv French Bay. Thanet District Council noted a minor bilge oil discharge from a pleasure craft berthing at Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour Marina. The owner of the vessel accepted liability and paid for the clean-up costs.
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Page 30 of 46 4.4 Southern England (East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight).
4.4.1 Further improvements were evident following analysis of the pollution statistics for southern England during 2003. In total 14 incidents were reported including 9 oil spills in ports or harbours, 3 incidents affecting the shoreline and 2 confirmed sightings of oil in the English Channel. Twelve incidents were caused by discharges of generally small quantities of fuel oils and 2 incidents required extensive clearance operations on the part of the authorities as they involved packages containing suspected hazardous substances.
4.4.2 Reporting organisations submitted details of 3 spills in Weymouth and Portland Harbours during the year. The Master of the Mv Condor Express reported a 10 litre fuel oil spill on 16 January and the Weymouth Harbour Authority responded by implementing their clean-up plan and procedures. Another clean-up operation was undertaken in Portland’s Inner Harbour following a minor leakage of hydraulic oil from a remotely operated vehicle. A 5 litre spillage of bilge water from a disposals vessel was reported on 8 July in the same location.
4.4.3 Poole Harbour Commissioners and MCA described 4 spills in Poole Harbour during 2003. The Mtanker Alacrity was identified as the source of 750 litre spillage of motor spirit on 5 February. Approximately half of the total volume spilt was lost to sea following failure of a cargo boom. An accidental discharge of 400 litres of fuel oil was attributed to the Ro-ro ferry Mv Condor Vitesse at Poole’s ferry terminal on 16 July. The oil was contained with a boom and the majority was later recovered from the water surface. A warning letter was later issued by the EA.
4.4.4 The Chichester Harbour Conservancy described a minor 5 litre spillage of lubrication oil from a local pleasurecraft. The vessel was directed to a mooring and an inspection carried out by a representative of the Conservancy to determine the cause of the spillage. The inspection revealed that oil pipes had been incorrectly fitted thereby causing the engine to lose its oil into the bilges of the vessel. A formal caution was issued to the owner of the vessel after the necessary repairs had been completed. A small bunkering spill was reported by the Shoreham Port Authority on 21 August. The pollution was contained in a locked canal and quickly removed from the water surface with the use of absorbents.
4.4.5 Several local authorities submitted comprehensive accounts of incidents involving chronic oil pollution and the recovery of suspected hazardous substances from beaches. A total of 678 receptacles filled with pharmaceutical products, including ampoules of chemical and biological warfare vaccines, was recovered from a stretch of the Dorset coastline between West Bay and Bournemouth from 20 to 24 January 2003.8 Most of the packages were washed up on the West Bay beaches and harbour. The types and quantities of substances posed a very low level of risk to the public.
8 The substances and their uses together with the numbers and types of packages were identified as follows: 495 phials Anthrax vaccine (a biological warfare anti-agent, harmless on skin); 71 phials Dimercaprol (brown liquid used as an antidote to poisoning with heavy metals such as lead which could be mildly irritating to the skin if touched); 87 vials Deltastab Prednisolene hydracortisone (an antidote to Mustard Gas); 5 phials Erythromycin Lactodigante (antibiotic powder used for injections to combat severe infections); 14 nasal spays (to treat hayfever and other allergies); 4 packages Fenbid anti- inflammatory tablets (used to treat common conditions such as toothache and headache but are not strong painkillers) and 2 phials with unidentified contents. Page 31 of 46
4.4.6 Formal procedures were followed by the organisations with a responsibility to respond to, and deal with, potentially hazardous packages washed up on the shoreline. West Dorset District Council acted as the lead authority for clearance operations with support from the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, HM Coastguard and the EA. The Health Protection Unit of the NHS advised on the safe handling and disposal of the contents of packages. The recovered packages were stored in oversized chemical drums prior to disposal by the Dorset Health Protection Agency.
4.4.7 The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the anthrax vaccines were destined for military use and it was believed that they had been supplied by the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research at Porton Down (Lloyd’s List, 22 January). At the time of reporting the Ministry of Defence was leading an investigation to identify the cause of the incident and the source of the products.
4.4.8 A second incident involving packages containing suspected hazardous substances occurred between 12 and 17 March after 71 aluminium canisters were washed ashore between Hurst Spit and Milford on Sea in Hampshire and between Alum Bay and Fort Victoria on the Isle of Wight. No visible hazard class or substance identification markings were found to be present on any of the canisters although some carried UN Codes for Designating Types of Packagings. It was alleged that a member of the public opened one of the canisters and suffered minor side-effects after inhaling fumes from the contents.
4.4.9 In Hampshire the Police/Rescue Service and an army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit took charge of the situation. The EOD team x-rayed some flasks and determined that they did not contain explosive or flammable material and could therefore be safely handled. The Hampshire canisters were then stored pending advice on appropriate disposal routes. Specimens were sent to Porton Down for analysis of their contents.
4.4.10 Canisters recovered on the Isle of Wight were stored in a secure location. Warning signs were erected on those beaches where canisters had been deposited and Beach Inspectors made regular checks in the West Wight coastal area. A member of a Royal Navy EOD team visited the island to help assess the situation.
4.4.11 The Isle of Wight Council also submitted details of 2 separate incidents involving chronic oil pollution of beaches. Small lumps or blobs of oil were observed on amenity beaches at Sandown and Shanklin over a 5 day interval from 24 February. Various beaches along the south-east coast of the island were affected during a second incident which occurred between 25 and 28 July. On this occasion the results from analyses of oil samples indicated their source was the heavy fuel oil lost from the wreck of the Mtanker Prestige 250 km west of Vigo (Spain) (refer to section 4.3 ). Failure of an oil/water separator monitor was identified as the cause of an accidental 100 litre fuel oil discharge from the RFA Argus into the English Channel on 11 July.
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4.5 South-west England (Devon, Cornwall, Isles of Scilly, Channel Islands and the Western Approaches).
Page 32 of 46 4.5.1 Eighteen incidents were reported during 2003 compared with 40 incidents during the previous year. Significant improvements in the 2003 statistics were evident across most data fields including pollution attributed to vessel-casualty spills. Fifteen fewer oil discharges were reported in local ports and harbours and 5 fewer discharges were reported in the open sea during 2003. Two spills were greater than 455 litres and a specific source of pollution was identified on 11 occasions. Estimated volumes of discharges were provided for 8 incidents and fuel oils were again the most frequently reported types of pollution9.
4.5.2 Three vessel-casualty spills were recorded in south-west England during 2003. On 13 January a light rainbow sheen on the River Exe was traced to a wooden boat which had sunk on its moorings. Torbay Council and MCA drew attention to a similar type of incident on 13 October after the Pc Chatterbox sank on its moorings causing a diesel patch which was quickly dispersed by wave action.
4.5.3 Several reports referred to a major incident after the Antigua and Barbados registered general cargo ship Mv RMS Mulheim (1,846 gt, built 1999) ran aground in Gamper Bay near Sennen Cove on 22 March. The vessel was badly holed and approximately 75 tonnes of diesel spilled out of its fuel tank. The immediate impacts on the fishing and tourism industries were minimal as the oil was quickly dispersed by wave action.
4.5.4 Following assessments and site visits by the Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP), salvors and owners representatives it was concluded that the vessel was too badly damaged to be refloated. Furthermore, it was decided that safety implications outweighed environmental impacts and the wreck was left in situ to be broken up by wave action.
4.5.5 Small quantities of remaining pollutants including engine room diesel and lubricating oils, batteries and containers of paint were removed from the wreck by 31 March. The removal of the cargo of 2,200 tonnes of shredded plastics proved to be a more difficult operation. An initial attempt employing a jack-up rig next to wreck was abandoned due to heavy seas.
4.5.6 However, an alternative approach using a conveyor method linking the vessel with cliff tops 60 metres above was successful. By 29 May the cargo removal operation was abandoned with only 10 to 15 tonnes remaining because the vessel had become highly unstable. Small quantities of plastic were recovered by clean-up teams patrolling amenity beaches up to 60 km away from the wreck. A press report stated the total cost of the salvage operation was nearly £2 million.
9 In addition Cornwall County Council submitted records of 9 drums recovered on beaches during the year. The package markings indicated that the contents included hydraulic oil, grease, aminoethanol (UN 2491, Class 8, PG III) and diethylaminoethanol (UN 1841, Class 9, PG III), sodium hydroxide solution (UN 1824, Class 8, PG II), fuel oil biocide and 30/50 dichlorbenzene. One package was found to be in a leaking condition. The drums and their contents were disposed of by local authorities or hazardous chemical disposal companies.
The Council of the Isles of Scilly recovered approximately 4 tonnes of ‘baby wipes’ from beaches throughout the islands between March and December. The items were traced to the Mv Sybille which lost containers overboard on 31 January 2003 en route to UK & Ireland from Spain. The owners of the cargo, Proctor & Gamble, agreed to pay for cleanup costs. Page 33 of 46 4.5.7 A pair of trousers catching on a lever in the wheelhouse allegedly caused the vessel to run aground according to a report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB). The ship’s mate was on watch sat in a chair and when he went to get up he got his trousers caught in the chair’s foot-plate control lever, fell over and was knocked unconscious. By the time he regained consciousness the vessel was closing in on the shoreline (Lloyd’s List, 23, 24, 25, 27, 31 March; 2, 4, 9, 10, 16, 28 April; 1, 2, 5, 23 May; 2, 9, 15 June; 6 August; 10 October & 23 March 2004).
4.5.8 Seven generally light sheens were reported in nearshore waters and in the open sea. A hose failure on board RFA Wave Ruler was identified as the cause of a 100 litre fuel oil spillage. Another warship, HMS Cardiff, reported a fuel oil spill on 18 June. The Council of the Isles of Scilly reported an incident in which a French trawler reported a slick trailing astern of an unidentified merchant vessel.
4.5.9 Excluding vessel-casualty spills, incidents were also reported in the ports and harbours at Brixham, English Harbour (St Helier), Falmouth, Fowey and Torquay. A report submitted by Jersey Harbours described a minor diesel spillage from the Mfv Kaylin which was quickly removed from the water surface by the use of absorbent mats and ‘sausages’. Absorbent pads were also employed in a clean-up at Brixham to recover diesel spilt from the Mfv La Cou Cou. A minor bunkering spill was reported by Torbay Council in the same location on 24 May. A small quantity of lubrication oil was spilt by the Pc Amanda berthed in Torquay Harbour. An absorbent boom was again deployed to help recover 10 litres of diesel spilt from the Mfv Flying Spray during a bunkering operation at Fowey on 20 January.
4.5.10 The EA and Cornwall County Council submitted details of a 500 litre spillage of heavy fuel into the Carrick Roads in Falmouth on 3 September. The spillage occurred during a transfer operation from Mv Brabourne to the Mtanker Sea Merchant. The Harbour Response Plan was initiated employing 2 tugs and absorbent booms and contractors were brought in to clean-up recreational vessels.
4.5.11 Tar balls approximately 20 mm in diameter were removed from on amenity beaches between Paignton Sands and Hollicombe during the last week of February. Members of the public alerted the authorities to an oil pollution incident affecting 3 beaches between Berry Head and Start Point in Devon on 15 March. Subsequent investigations described the pollution at lumps of tarry or weathered oil accompanied by dead oiled seabirds. Local mussel beds were not threatened and the source of the oil could not be identified.
4.5.12 Data obtained from analyses of samples collected from the west coast of Guernsey during the second week of July indicated that the oil had originated from the Mtanker Prestige which broke in two and sank 260 km west of Vigo on 19 November 2002 (refer to section 4.3). Tank washings containing palm and coconut oil discharged to sea from the Mtanker Baltic Champion were believed to have later contaminated beaches between Tregantle and Sharrow in Cornwall during September. ______4.6 Bristol Channel and South Wales (Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Cardiff, Newport, Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Neath & Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire).
4.6.1 Accidental discharges from vessels in ports and harbours were again the major characteristic of the annual pollution statistics accounting for 20 of the 24 incidents
Page 34 of 46 identified by reporting organisations. Most discharges involved relatively small quantities of fuel oils and clean-up operations were usually completed after each discharge. A specific vessel was identified as the source of pollution on 20 occasions including 9 fishing vessels, 7 oil tankers, 2 general cargo vessels, a chemical tanker and a pleasurecraft.
4.6.2 The EA, Milford Haven Port Authority (MHPA) and Pembrokeshire County Council submitted detailed accounts of 17 vessel-source oil pollution incidents at Milford Dock and the Milford Haven Waterway. Estimated volumes of discharges were provided for 12 incidents and the median volume was 50 litres compared with 13 incidents and 4.5 litres respectively from the 2002 reports. The volumes of estimated discharges ranged between 1 litre to 1.8 tonnes and clean-up operations were completed under the supervision of the MHPA. The Authority brought 3 successful prosecutions against offenders with an average fine of £7,333.
4.6.3 A tank overflow during a bunker transfer operation was identified as the cause of a 50 litre diesel spill from the Mfv Van Eyck at Milford Dock on 15 January. Absorbent mats were employed to recover the oil from the water surface. A fine of £2,000 was imposed by local magistrates following a case brought by MHPA. Local magistrates imposed a larger fine of £5,000 following a 750 litre diesel spill from the Mfv Zilver Meeuw in the same location on 24 January. A fuel tank overflow during an internal transfer operation was identified as the cause of the incident and absorbent pads and booms were deployed to recover the oil within a few hours of the discharge.
4.6.4 Three reports described a 50 litre kerosene spillage from the Mtanker Lough Fisher at the Texaco Pier on 13 March. The incident occurred during a cargo loading operation at night and by daybreak the pollution had dispersed naturally and no further actions were required. The Mfv Christian Borum (84 gt, built 1976) accidentally discharged 30 litres of bilge oil into Milford Dock on 12 May and the vessel later sank under tow off St Annes Head, although no pollution was reported on the surface (Lloyd’s List, 8 July ).
4.6.5 Absorbent granules and pads were deployed in a clean-up operation following a 50 litre spill of diesel oil from the Mfv Grampian Avenger at Milford Dock on 8 September. The MHPA’s Sea Mop pollution craft was required in a larger clean-up operation following a 1.8 tonne diesel spillage from the Mtanker Venture at the Petroplus Berth on 13 September. The clean-operation extended over a two-day interval and required the removal of oil from a local beach. The cause of the incident was later identified as a cargo tank overflow through ventilator pipes. Legal proceedings were initiated and resulted in a fine of £15,000.
4.6.6 Elsewhere, oil spills in ports or harbours were recorded at Barry, Bristol and Fishguard. A leaking drum caused a minor diesel spillage from the Mfv Celtic Spirit berthed at Barry Old Harbour on 21 October. The Bristol Port Company reported a 50 litre spillage of hydraulic oil from the Mv Jupiter Diamond at the Royal Portbury Dock on 22 May. The Mfv Echo II broke moorings an ran aground on the Inner Breakwater at Fishguard causing a spillage of fuel and lubrication oils.
4.6.7 Weathered oil residues were removed from beaches at various locations along the North Pembrokeshire coastline during the second week of March. Samples were taken and analysed but the results were not available at the time of reporting. Another
Page 35 of 46 Pembrokeshire County Council report referred to a beach pollution incident in the Abermawr area during the last week of December. The Mfv Charlotte Rose broke its moorings and sank in nearshore waters off St. David’s on 22 September causing a spillage of fuel oil.
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Page 36 of 46 4.7 Irish Sea (Cardiganshire, Gwynedd, Anglesey, Aberconwy & Colwyn, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria, Isle of Man and all Districts of Northern Ireland).
4.7.1 Following analysis of 70 completed questionnaires 10 oil pollution incidents were identified representing a significant reduction over the previous year’s total. The improvements were evident across most marine environmental zones with no reported discharges from chemical or oil tankers and fishing vessels. Most reports again referred to small oil discharges from vessels operating in ports or nearshore waters. Accidental spills from oil and gas installations operating in Morecambe Bay were included in the statistics for the UKCS (refer section 4.11).
4.7.2 Three reports referred to oil discharges in the waters of mid-Wales and North Wales during 2003. Stena Line Ports described a 50 litre spillage of hydraulic oil from the Mv Stena Forwarder berthed at Holyhead on 27 March. A prompt response employing absorbent booms ensured that most of the pollution was collected and none arrived on local beaches. A pleasurecraft sank in Red Wharf Bay on 4 May causing a minor leakage of fuel oil. During the last week of December lumps of weathered crude oil were found on a beach at Barmouth.
4.7.3 Reporting organisations recorded 4 incidents in the ports of the eastern Irish Sea at Barrow in Furness, Liverpool and Tranmere. On 1 January a workboat broke its moorings and sank at the Tranmere Oil Terminal causing a 90 litre fuel oil spillage. An EA report referred to a 25 litre fuel oil spillage from the Mv European Diplomat at Liverpool during the following week. The oil was immediately contained within the dock and removed from the water surface within a few hours. A hose failure during a maintenance operation was later identified as the cause of the incident and steps were taken to amend procedures in order to prevent a similar accidental discharge in the future.
4.7.4 A 137 litre spillage of gas oil was reported by the MCA in the same location on 17 December. The spillage occurred during a bunkering operation at the Nelson Dock Complex and a clean-up operation was completed. A dredging vessel was identified as the source of a 20 litre lubrication oil spillage at Barrow-in-Furness on 25 November. The EA report noted that a warning letter had been sent to the vessel’s owners. Elsewhere, an oil slick was reported by a passing vessel off Larne Harbour on 14 July.
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Page 37 of 46 4.8 Western Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Argyll & Bute and the Highlands & Islands Region to Cape Wrath).
4.8.1 Twenty-three confirmed vessel-source pollution incidents were identified from 73 questionnaire returns. The characteristics of the 2003 incidents were again typical for this part of the United Kingdom including 8 vessel-casualty spills and 9 accidental fuel oil discharges during bunkering operations in ports and harbours. Hence, various grades of fuel oils were again the most frequently reported types of pollution and 5 incidents resulted in spills greater than 1 tonne. There were no references in the 2003 data to indicate that any legal proceedings initiated against alleged offenders.
4.8.2 Reporting organisations identified at least 8 oil pollution incidents attributed to vessel- casualties. The Mfv Tonn Vane ran aground in Loch Sunart causing a leakage of 1.36 tonnes of diesel. Another MCA report referred to 1.82 tonne spillage of diesel after the Mfv Melita became stranded near the Island of Coll on 3 March. A further 318 litres of diesel oil were spilt in nearshore waters after the Pc Da Cala Mist ran aground on Pattersons Rock, Sanda Island, on 5 June.
4.8.3 The Cypriot registered bulker Jambo (1,990 gt, built 1990) with a cargo of 3,300 tonnes of zinc sulphide and 85 tonnes of fuel on board sank after striking rocks at the entrance to Loch Broom 24 km north west of Ullapool on 29 June. Approximately 83 tonnes of diesel were later recovered from the wreck using ‘Hot Tapping’ operations and in a separate operation approximately 1,900 tonnes of cargo for disposal ashore. A press report stated that the final cost of the salvage operation was £4 million.
4.8.4 Initially a heavy coloured sheen was visible around the vessel and on the mainland shore east of the vessel. Containment and recovery booms measuring almost 1 km in length were deployed to protect local fish farms and minimise the risk of any further pollution. Clean-up operations were carried out to remove isolated patches of marine diesel from the water surface and small stretches of nearby coastline.
4.8.5 The MCA’s counter-pollution surveillance aircraft made regular flights over the wreck site to monitor any further pollution. In accordance with the National Contingency Plan an Environment Group was established to provide environmental advice to all agencies involved in response to the incident. Samples of local fish were taken for chemical analyses and the Foods Standards Agency identified sampling sites locally.
4.8.6 A subsequent Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report discovered that the vessel foundered because the chief officer fell asleep while alone on the bridge. Moreover, the report revealed 60 similar groundings in British waters between 1993 and 2003 in which incapacitation or absence of watchkeepers has been involved (Lloyd’s List, 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 17, 21, 23, 25 July; 18, 25 August; 20, 22 October; 19 December, 28 January 2004 & 16 March 2004)
4.8.7 The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and MCA submitted details of another vessel-casualty spill on 29 July after the Mfv Charuny III sank off Canna in the Sea of Hebridies with 3 tonnes of diesel on board. A slick was observed above the wreck and dispersed naturally with no further reports of pollution received. On 24 August the Ro-ro ferry Mv Coruisk (1,100 gt, built 2003) hit rocks while entering Mallaig Harbour causing a 50 litre spillage of gearbox oil (Lloyd’s List, 26 August).
Page 38 of 46
4.8.8 During the following month the Mv Zenobia started taking on water at Irvine causing a discharge of diesel and hydraulic oils. A cargo of powdered cement mix was removed from the vessel. An eighth vessel-casualty spill during 2003 occurred in Portree Harbour after the Mfv Kathyrn Jane turned on her side during low water causing a spill of 400 litres of diesel oil.10
4.8.9 Highland Council Harbours, SEPA and MCA recorded details of 7 bunkering spills in Lochinver Harbour during 2003. All were attributed to fishing vessels and 6 were foreign flagged vessels. The estimated total volume of diesel spilt was 1.26 tonnes. Reporting organisations noted that offenders paid all clean-up costs which amounted to £8,900 but that no legal proceedings had been initiated against them (Lloyd’s List, 23 June, 3 July.
4.8.10 Clydeport Operations identified 4 incidents including a 3 litre discharge of crude oil from the Mtanker Ragnhild Knutsen at the Finnart Oil Terminal on 5 May. The Mtug Flying Phantom was identified as the source of 2 diesel spills on 15 January and 24 February. A broken pipe was identified as the source of a 15 litre hydraulic oil spill from the Mv Jupiter berthed in Rothesay Harbour. A large crude oil slick with an estimated volume of 26 tonnes was reported in the open sea off Cape Wrath on 23 June. The cause and origin of the discharge could not be identified and it was assumed that the pollution was dispersed by wave action.
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10 Another fishing vessel, Mfv Kate Elizabeth, keeled over in the same location on 13 August 2002 causing a 150 litre oil spillage.
Page 39 of 46 4.9 Orkney and Shetland Islands.
4.9.1 Four fewer oil discharges attributed to vessels were reported during 2003 compared with the previous year. Most incidents occurred in local ports and harbours and the appropriate preventive and remedial actions were taken by all parties to avoid any damage to local wildlife or other natural resources. The identified sources of the reported discharges included 3 oil tankers, a fishing vessel, a general cargo vessel and a pleasurecraft. Two beach pollutions were attributed to unidentified passing vessels. Accidental spills from oil installations operating in the West Shetland Basin were included in the statistics for the UKCS (refer to section 4.11).
4.9.2 Shetland Islands Council compiled reports describing 4 minor oil spills at the Sullom Voe Oil Terminal during the year. Minor sheens of lubrication oil were broken up and dispersed by propeller agitation following a 5 litre leakage from the bow thruster of the Mtanker Hanne Knutsen on 27 February. A minor diesel spill from the Mtanker Loch Rannoch was quickly dispersed by wave action on 1 May and no further action was required. Rainwater run-off from the deck of a dredging barge was identified as the source of some minor diesel sheens reported on 23 June. A fourth minor incident occurred on 23 August following a slight hydraulic oil leakage from the stern gland of the Mtanker Front Chief.
4.9.3 Elswhere in the Shetland Islands the Lerwick Port Authority submitted a nil return for 2003. Approximately 136 litres of diesel leaked from the Mfv Cornucopia after the vessel sank in Sandwick Harbour on 10 February.
4.9.4 The Orkney Harbours Department described a single incident at Scapa Flow during the year. The Mv Thorsvoe was identified as the source of a 20 litre spillage of hydraulic oil which was quickly dispersed by wave action. Work resumed by Briggs Marine to remove furnace oil from the tanks of the sunken battleship Royal Oak using the hot-tapping methodology although no further pollution was reported during 2003 (Lloyd’s List, July 29).
4.9.5 SEPA reported 2 incidents at Sanday during February and August. A local resident reported 10 drums of waste oil washed ashore along the Bay of Sandquoy. The local authority arranged for the collection of drums and the clean-up of the shoreline due to some leakage of their contents. The second incident was attributed to a minor spillage of fuel oil from a pleasurecraft. A small oil slick in the form of a rainbow sheen was identified in the open sea east of Start Point on 25 June.
4.9.6 Small quantities of weathered crude oil residues were removed from amenity beaches at various locations in the Orkney and Shetland Islands during June and July. The work was undertaken by local authority personnel but the costs were reimbursed by Talisman Energy UK because the pollution was attributed to a leakage from a seabed pipeline serving the Beatrice Field on 9 March (refer to section 4.11 UKCS/152-9 March).11
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11 The incident was included in the statistics for the UKCS oil and gas installations.
Page 40 of 46 4.10 Eastern Scotland (the northern and eastern shores of the Highlands and Islands Region from Cape Wrath, Moray, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Fife, Lothian and Scottish Borders).
4.10.1 Analysis of the eastern Scotland statistics for 2003 showed an additional 14 confirmed incidents compared with the total for the previous year.12 Reporting organisations identified 30 oil spills and single discharges of vegetable oil and a chemical substance. All types of vessels were identified as sources of discharges, notably offshore support vessels berthed in local ports and harbours. At the time of reporting there were no references to any successful prosecutions brought against alleged offenders although following some incidents reports had been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
4.10.2 The Aberdeen Harbour Board, MCA and SEPA submitted reports describing 10 oil discharges from 9 offshore support vessels and a fishing vessel berthed in Aberdeen Harbour. The polluting substances were identified as diesel, gas or bilge oil and the median volume of discharges was 40 litres. Clean-up operations employing absorbent booms and a skimmer were completed after most discharges.
4.10.3 A leaking fuel pipe on board the Msv Grampian Protector caused diesel oil to enter the vessel’s sewage tank. When the tank was pumped out into the harbour its contents included approximately 23 litres of diesel oil. On 5 July a further 100 litres of diesel oil were spilt into Aberdeen Harbour from the Msv Viking Venturer. The spillage occurred during a fuel transfer operation. The Mfv Ocean Triumph accidentally discharged 100 litres of diesel when a fuel tank overflowed during a bunkering operation. The Msv Northern Seeker was identified as the source of another 100 litre diesel spillage at Aberdeen’s Maitland Quay on 31 October. An official police warning was issued to the Master and owners’ of the Msv Viking Crusader following a bunkering spill on 19 November.
4.10.4 Discharges from vessels were also reported in ports and harbours at Arbroath, Buckie, Burghead, Burntisland, Cromarty Firth, Dunbar, Eyemouth, Grangemouth and Peterhead. The Port of Grangemouth reported 3 spills including 5 litres of ethanol from the Mctanker Tina Jakobsen and 2 discharges of fuel oil from the Mv Sven Dede on 19 and 21 November. Approximately 200 litres of fuel oil were spilt from an unidentified vessel in Arbroath Harbour on 17 February. A boom was deployed to contain and remove the pollution from the water surface.
4.10.5 The Dutch yacht Nobelese ran aground and broke up at the entrance to Dunbar Harbour on 5 July causing a 500 litre spillage of diesel (Lloyd’s List, July 8). Another MCA report referred to a similar sized spill after the Mfv Unity touched bottom on entering Burntisland Harbour on 8 October. A Cromarty Firth Port Authority report identified the rig Global Santa Fe 140 as the source of a 91 litre diesel oil spill. A clean-up was completed and the cause of the spillage was identified as a tank overflow in the emergency generator room of the rig. Another tank overflow was identified as the cause of a 1 litre diesel oil spillage from the rig Transocean Project on 30 May.
4.10.6 Six slicks were reported in nearshore and in the open sea. A passing vessel identified a small patch of partly emulsified oil outside Aberdeen Harbour on 15 April. A grey
12 In addition four reports referred to a total of 37 drums recovered on beaches and most were believed to contain waste oil. East Lothian Council noted that the overall numbers had increased in recent years.
Page 41 of 46 oil sheen reported in the vicinity Sedco 712 rig was attributed to an unidentified vessel. Approximately 20 litres of vegetable oil (Category D) were discharged in the open sea from the Mv Jinian during a tank cleaning operation on 3 June. The yacht Fylla sank in the open sea off Lossiemouth on 24 October and 300 litres of diesel escaped to sea.
4.10.7 Partly weathered thick crude oil residues were removed from a small stretch of shoreline at Brora during the third week of April. A SEPA report attributed the pollution to a leakage from a seabed pipeline serving the Beatrice Field on 9 March 2003 (refer to section 4.11 UKCS/152-9 March).13
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13 The incident was included in the statistics for the UKCS oil and gas installations.
Page 42 of 46 4.11 United Kingdom Continental Shelf
4.11.1 The pollution statistics for this enumeration area were compiled from POLREP reports submitted by the MCA and PON1 reports submitted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Following a request from the DTI separate data sets have been presented for accidental discharges attributed to offshore oil & gas installations and all other discharges attributed to vessels operating within the UKCS area (refer to Figure 1).
Oil and gas installations.
4.11.2 A total of 388 incidents, 64 fewer than the previous year, was attributed to offshore oil & gas installations including those operating in the west Shetland Basin, Liverpool Bay and off the coast of eastern England. The total included 325 accidental oil discharges (97 fewer than the previous year) and 63 discharges of chemicals and other substances (33 more than the previous year), including ammonium bisulphate, bentonite, cement, methanol, mono-ethylene, pertolite, triethylene glycol and oil-based mud.
4.11.3 Details of each incident, including a cause when known, are listed in Appendix 1 (UKCS oil & gas installations). Additional information is provided in Section 3 for 14 discharges of 2 tonnes or more and statistics are also available on the DTI’s website:www.dti.gov.uk.
4.11.4 The PON1 reports again indicated that remedial actions were taken by operators following most accidental discharges. The responses included identification of root causes of spills, improvements in operational control procedures, recommendations concerning preventative actions and carrying out any necessary repairs and modifications to equipment.
4.11.5 The distribution pattern for estimated volumes of discharges, when known, was again markedly skewed with 87% less than 455 litres. Individual values ranged from 0.0001 litres to 150 tonnes. Analysis of oil types showed 64% of reported discharges were crude oils or condensate followed by 15% for fuel oils and 14% for lubrication and hydraulic oils. Offshore operators also reported 16 accidental discharges of oil-based mud and 47 chemical spills.
4.11.6 Some Scottish respondents noted that small quantities of crude oil that leaked from a seabed pipeline serving the Beatrice Field on 9 March were later washed ashore on amenity beaches in the Orkney and Shetland Islands and a Brora in eastern Scotland (refer to sections 4.9 & 4.10). In the Orkney and Shetland Islands the costs of beach cleaning operations were reimbursed by Talisman Energy UK.
Vessels
4.11.7 Another 23 discharges, 20 fewer than the previous year, were attributed to vessels operating within the UKCS enumeration area. The largest category comprised 17 reports of patches of crude or fuel oils sighted from offshore installations or standby
Page 43 of 46 vessels but attributed to unidentified passing vessels. The estimated volumes ranged from 0.5 litres to 2.45 tonnes with a median value of 1.5 litres. In each incident it was assumed that the pollution dispersed naturally without posing a threat to wildlife or the coastline.
4.11.8 The remaining 6 discharges were attributed to a tanker, a fishing vessel and 4 unidentified vessels. There were no references to any discharges attributed to supply vessels operating in the UKCS area. The Mtanker Navion Anglia was identified as the source of a 100 litre spillage of crude oil which occurred during a disconnection operation from the Alba Northern installation on 21 February. The Mfv Elhanan T sank on the 14 August with 9.1 tonnes of diesel oil onboard. Three oil slicks were sighted during routine surveillance flights.
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Page 44 of 46
SECTION 5
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAMME AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Page 45 of 46 SECTION 5: QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Quality Assurance Programme
As part of a comprehensive quality assurance plan data verification procedures were again applied at all stages during the 2003 survey. For example, other sources of information were consulted including the casualty section of Lloyd’s List, and any relevant reports were cross- referenced with the appropriate questionnaire returns.
The approaches for data entry and analysis were clearly shown in the relevant tables and all entries to the enumeration area sub-sets were subject to independent checking to detect any errors. On some occasions unexpected values were confirmed with the various data-sources. Multiple reports were again received from the DTI and MCA describing most accidental discharges from oil and gas installations operating on the UKCS. For the remaining discharges from vessels 37% of individual incident reports were compiled from questionnaire returns submitted by two or more reporting organisations.
Acknowledgements
The Committee is again grateful to the following public agencies and other organisations and their members for their contributions to the survey:
Association of Sea Fisheries Committees British Ports Association Convention of Scottish Local Authorities Department of Trade and Industry Environment Agency Local Government Association Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s Counter Pollution Branch Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Scottish Environment Protection Agency Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
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Page 46 of 46
APPENDIX ONE
SUMMARY OF REPORTED INCIDENTS
Key to types of vessels
Mct Chemical tanker
Mfv Fishing vessel
Msv Offshore support vessel
Mt Oil tanker
Mv General cargo vessel
Pc Pleasure craft
RFA Royal Fleet auxilliary vessel
Ro-ro Roll-on roll-off ferry
1: NORTH-EAST ENGLAND (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments NE/01 02-Jan Hull Oil Waste 136 litres Mv Arctic Warrior Burst hose discharging slops. NE/02 25-Jan 54-42N: 00-57W Oil Light Nk Unidentified vessel Slick 200m by 500m. NE/03 06-Feb 55-46N: 01-52W Oil Fuel 250 litres Mfv Boy Jim Seepage from wreck. NE/04 17-Feb Hull Oil Diesel 100 litres Mtanker Rix Merlin Spill during oil transfer operation. NE/190 24-Apr 54-02N: 02-29E Oil Oily water Nk Unidentified vessel Oily water with a rainbow sheen. NE/191 30-Apr 53-39N: 02-03E Oil Nk 75 litres Unidentified vessel 1 km x 0.5 km. *NE/1057 04-May River Humber Oil Diesel 45 litres Mtug Lady Moira Bunkering spill. *NE/650 11-May Blyth Harbour Oil Fuel 1 tonne Mv Zuljalal Clean-up completed. NE/194 06-Jun 53-45N: 00-21E Oil Fuel 2 tonnes Mfv Diana Vessel sank under tow. NE/195 08-Jun 53-51N: 00-26W Oil Heavy Nk Unidentified barge Observed by police helicopter. NE/196 30-Jun Tetney Monobuoy Oil Nk Nk Unidentified vessel Clean-up completed. *NE/917 05-Jul South Killingholme Oil Diesel 50 litres Mfv Marbella Natural dispersion. *NE/651 06-Aug Berwick Harbour Oil Diesel 5 litres Angling boat Bunkering spill, clean-up completed. NE/374 23-Aug Hull Oil Slops 500 litres Mv Noren Reason for spillage not reported. NE/601 03-Oct 53-37N: 00-48E Oil Diesel 5 litres Msv Seisranger Spillage due to split hose. NE/598 20-Nov Grimsby Fish Dock Oil Bilge 136 litres Mfv Senex Fidelis Hose failure.
2: EASTERN ENGLAND (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments EE/05 27-Jan 52-00N: 02-14E Other Rapeseed Oil Nk Mv Sea Trust Discharge following tank washing operation. EE/197 07-Apr 53-07N: 01-46E Other Palm Oil Nk Mv Ditte Theresa Vessel cleaning tanks. EE/198 23-Apr King's Lynn Harbour Oil Fuel 20 litres Unidentified vessel Unable to identify source. EE/200 05-May 52-46N: 02-13E Oil Nk Nk Unidentified tanker Trail of oil 8 km astern of tanker. EE/201 05-Jun 53-03N: 01-25E Oil Light Nk Unidentified vessel Slick 1 km x 1km. EE/202 14-Jun 52-40N: 01-53E Oil Nk 97 litres Unidentified vessel Slick 2 km x 0.5 km. *EE/927 09-Oct Brancaster Oil Diesel 20 litres Mfv Whitby Crest Pollution dispersed by tidal action. EE/592 15-Oct Scarborough/Sutton-on-Sea Oil Lumps Nk Unidentified vessel Thick black lumps of oil. EE/665 17-Nov Felixstowe Oil Fuel 20 litres Unidentified vessel Clean-up completed. EE/607 05-Dec Felixstowe Oil Diesel 23 litres Mtug Brightwell Clean-up completed.
3: ESSEX AND KENT (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments EK/09 13-Feb 51-28N: 01-23E Oil Heavy Nk Unidentified vessel Slick 6 km x 3 metres. EK/011 19-Feb Kent, Essex & Suffolk Oil Lumps Nk Mv Tricolor Tarry lumps up to 1 metre in diameter. EK/012 25-Feb 51-30N: 00-03E Oil Fuel 50 litres Mv SC Baltic Discharge during transfer of bunkers. *EK/683 10-Mar River Stour Oil Lumps 8 litres Unidentified vessel Clean-up completed. *EK/1114 12-Mar River Medway Oil Lubrication 10 litres Mv Lord Hinton Pollution dispersed naturally. *EK/684 21-Mar 51-13N: 01-44E Oil Nk Nk Unidentified vessel Dispersed by wave action. *EK/685 14-Apr Harwich Haven Oil Lumps 10 litres Mv Kinsale Clean-up completed. *EK/931 05-May Sheerness Docks Oil Fuel 50 litres Mv Panama Oil dispersed naturally. *EK/688 05-May River Medway Oil Fuel 50 litres Mv French Bay Clean-up completed. *EK/690 09-Jul Harwich Haven Oil Hydraulic 2 litres Mv Anvil Point Dispersed by wave action. *EK/932 12-Aug Deptford Creek Oil Gas Nk Mv Libation Oil escaped from derelict vessel. *EK/691 20-Aug Thanet coast Oil Heavy fuel Nk Mtanker Prestige Also reported ashore on the Isle of Wight. EK/692 29-Aug River Stour Oil Other 25 litres Unidentified vessel Identified as a degreasing agent. *EK/693 10-Oct Ramsgate Harbour Oil Bilge 20 litres Pc Franklie My Dear Clean-up completed. *EK/1112 27-Oct Ridham Dock, Medway Oil Bilge 10 litres Mv Sea Captain Clean-up completed. EK/605 30-Oct 51-48N: 00-57E Oil Diesel Nk Mfv Pheonix Oil seeped from wreck. EK/608 24-Dec 50-57N: 01-08E Oil Light Nk Unidentified vessel Dispersed by wave action. EK/609 24-Dec Canvey Island Oil Diesel 45.5 litres Mfv Louisa Spillage to slipway and drainage to sea.
4: SOUTHERN ENGLAND (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments SE/015 16-Jan Weymouth Harbour Oil Fuel 10 litres Mv Condor Express Bunkering spill, clean-up completed. SE/017 20-Jan West Bay Other Packages 678 Unidentified vessel Packages of pharmaceutical products. SE/020 05-Feb Poole Harbour Oil Petrol 750 litres Mtanker Alacrity Failure of cargo boom. *SE/1123 13-Feb Poole Harbour Oil Oily water Nk Mv Northleigh Sheen dispersed naturally. *SE/713 24-Feb Sandown & Shanklin Oil Nk Nk Unidentified vessel Oil lumps mixed with debris. SE/714 13-Mar Isle of Wight/Hampshire Other Canisters 71 Unidentified vessel Clearance operation undertaken. *SE/1122 07-Apr Poole Harbour Oil Diesel Nk Barge Whitchallenger Sheen broken up by workboat. SE/205 11-Apr Portland Harbour Oil Hydraulic 15 litres Cable Ship Sentine Caused by leak from ROV. EK/686 15-Apr 50-21N: 00-51E Oil Nk Nk Unidentified vessel Dispersed by wave action. SE/381 08-Jul Portland Harbour Oil Bilge 5 litres Disposals vessel Cause of spillage not determined. SE/382 11-Jul 50-33N: 02-58W Oil Diesel 100 litres RFA Argus Failure oil/water separator. SE/384 05-Jul Poole Harbour Oil Fuel 400 litres Mv Condor Vitesse Bunkering spill. *SE/715 20-Jul Chichester Harbour Oil Lubrication 5 litres Pc Cornishman Oil dispersed naturally. *SE/717 21-Aug Shoreham Oil Diesel 12.5 litres Mv Arco Dart Clean-up completed.
5: SOUTH-WEST ENGLAND (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments SW/014 13-Jan River Exe Oil Fuel Nk 50 ft workboat Vessel sank at moorings. SW/016 20-Jan Fowey Oil Fuel 10 litres Mfv Flying Spray Clean-up completed after bunkering spill. SW/021 10-Feb Brixham Oil Diesel Nk Mfv La Cou Cou Clean-up completed. SW/1155 18-Feb English Harbour Oil Diesel 5 litres Mfv Kaylin Clean-up completed. SW/743 25-Feb Paignton Sands Oil Lumps Nk Unidentified vessel Clean-up completed. SW/025 11-Mar 50-15N: 04-24W Oil Fuel 100 litres RFA Wave Ruler Spillage during transfer operation. SW/026 15-Mar South Devon coast Oil Lumps Nk Unidentified vessel Lumps ashore in 3 locations. *SW/939 22-Mar Gamper Bay Oil Fuel 75 tonnes Mv RMS Mulheim Vessel ran aground. *SW/748 20-May 49-52N: 07-38W Oil Nk Nk Unidentified vessel Slick observed trailing a merchant vessel. SW/749 24-May Brixham Harbour Oil Diesel 5 litres Unidentified vessel Spillage during bunkering operation. SW/210 11-Jun Torquay Harbour Oil Lubrication Nk Pc Amanda Clean-up completed. SW/211 18-Jun 50-07N: 03-40W Oil Fuel Nk HMS Cardiff Accidental discharge. SW/1071 21-Aug Fowey Oil Fuel 5 litres Unidentified vessel Suspected bilge pump out. *SW/761 03-Sep Falmouth Harbour Oil Fuel 500 litres Mv Breabourne Spillage during bunkering operation. SW/762 14-Sep 50-19N: 04-37W Oil Engine Nk Unidentified vessel Slick dispersed naturally. SW/390 22-Sep Tregantle Other Palm Nk Mt Baltic Champion Vessel washed out tanks in open sea. SW/614 13-Oct 50-26N: 03-33W Oil Diesel Nk Pc Chatterbox Vessel sank on moorings. *SW/765 22-Oct 50-21N: 04-09W Oil Diesel 20 litres Unidentified vessel Slick dispersed naturally.
6: BRISTOL CHANNEL AND SOUTH WALES (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments *BC/781 15-Jan Milford Dock Oil Diesel 50 litres Mfv Van Eyck Clean-up after bunkering spill. BC/783 24-Jan Milford Dock Oil Diesel 750 litres Mfv Zilver Meeuw Clean-up completed. BC/786 30-Jan Fishguard Harbour Oil Diesel Nk Mfv Echo II Vessel ran aground. BC/030 21-Feb Milford Haven Oil Kerosene Nk Mtanker Nordic Blossom Clean-up completed. BC/792 12-Mar North Pembrokeshire Oil Lumps Nk Unidentified vessel Weathered oil mixed with debris. BC/033 13-Mar Milford Haven Oil Kerosene 50 litres Mtanker Lough Fisher Natural dispersion. *BC/796 01-Apr Milford Haven Oil Diesel 1 litre Mtanker Averitt Minor seepage from hull. *BC/799 12-May Milford Dock Oil Bilge 30 litres Mfv Christian Borum Clean-up completed. *BC/1054 22-May Bristol Oil Hydraulic 50 litres Mv Jupiter Diamond Clean-up completed. *BC/804 18-Jun Milford Haven Oil Diesel Nk Pleasurecraft Vessel ran aground. *BC/805 19-Jun Milford Haven Oil Diesel Nk Fishing vessel Partially sank on mooring. BC/942 17-Jul Milford Haven Oil Bilge Nk Mct Golden Emblem Clean-up completed. *BC/809 27-Jul Milford Haven Oil Diesel 2 litres Mtanker Estere Source of pollution not confirmed. *BC/810 07-Aug Milford Haven Oil Gasoline 130 litres Mtanker Sirius 1 Cargo overflow. BC/394 08-Aug 51-14N: 03-44W Oil Light Nk Unidentified vessel Suspected bilge washings. *BC/812 17-Aug Milford Dock Oil Diesel 20 litres Unidentified vessel Clean-up completed. *BC/815 08-Sep Milford Dock Oil Diesel 50 litres Mfv Grampian Avenger Clean-up completed. BC/395 13-Sep Milford Haven Oil Diesel 1.8 tonnes Mtanker Venture Cargo tank overflow, clean-up completed *BC/819 22-Sep 51-52N: 05-18W Oil Diesel 227 litres Mfv Charlotte Rose Vessel broke moorings and sank. *BC/820 02-Oct Milford Dock Oil Bilge 3 litres Mfv Mercurios Clean-up completed. BC/620 21-Oct Barry Old Harbour Oil Diesel 23 litres Mv Celtic Spirit Natural dispersion. *BC/824 04-Nov Milford Dock Oil Diesel 20 litres Mfv Fighter Bunker overflow, clean-up completed. BC/622 21-Nov Milford Haven Oil Lubrication Nk Mtanker Tarnbris Clean-up completed. BC/624 23-Dec Abermawr Beach Oil Lumps 10 litres Unidentified vessel Weathered oil and debris.
7: IRISH SEA (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments IS/035 01-Jan Tranmere Oil Terminal Oil Fuel 91 litres Workboat Telford Vessel sank on moorings. *IS/943 10-Jan Liverpool Oil Fuel 25 litres Mv European Diplomat Clean-up completed. *IS/1121 26-Feb Belfast Harbour Oil Diesel Nk Dredging vessel. Clean-up completed. *IS/840 27-Mar Holyhead Oil Hydraulic 50 litres Mv Stena Forwarder Clean-up completed. IS/213 04-May 53-18N: 04-12W Oil Fuel 0.5 litres Pleasurcraft Vessel sank. IS/397 14-Jul 54-55N: 05-43W Oil Nk 72 litres Unidentified vessel Natural dispersion. *IS/1119 19-Sep Kilkeel Harbour Oil Heating 23 litres Mfv Sarah Jane Spillage during decommissioning. *IS/945 25-Nov Barrow-in-Furness Oil Lubrication 20 litres Mv Sif R Clean-up completed. IS/632 17-Dec Liverpool Oil Gas 136 litres Mv Sun Sury Clean-up completed. IS/634 27-Dec Barmouth Oil Crude 4 litres Unidentified vessel Weathered lumps of oil.
8: WESTERN SCOTLAND (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments WS/037 15-Jan Clydeport Oil Diesel 91 litres Mtug Flying Phantom Clean-up following bunkering spill. WS/038 30-Jan 56-40N: 05-57W Oil Diesel 1.36 tonnes Mfv Tonn Vane Vessel ran aground and sank. WS/039 16-Feb Rothesay Harbour Oil Hydraulic 15 litres Ro-ro Mv Jupiter Broken pipe on ramp. WS/041 22-Feb Lochinver Harbour Oil Gas 100 litres Mv Louis Everard Overflow during bunkering operation. *WS/1130 24-Feb Clydeport Oil Diesel 5 litres Mtug Flying Phantom Sheen broken up and dispersed. WS/043 03-Mar 56-35N: 06-42W Oil Diesel 1.82 tonnes Mfv Melita Vessel ran aground. ES/221 05-May Finnart Oil Terminal Oil Crude 3 litres Mtanker Ragnhild Knutsen Clean-up completed. WS/223 19-May Clyde Naval Base Other OM 33 5 litres HMS Atherstone Supply connection failed. *WS/843 31-May Lochinver Harbour Oil Diesel 50 litres Mfv Rasmus Effersoe Overflow during bunkering operation. WS/225 05-Jun 55-17N: 05-33W Oil Diesel 318 litres Pc Da Cala Mist Vesssel ran aground and sank. WS/227 18-Jun Lochinver Harbour Oil Diesel 200 litres Mfv Albert Granet Clean-up completed. WS/228 23-Jun 59-09N: 05-10W Oil Crude 26 tonnes Unidentified vessel Slick 5 km x 1 km. WS/230 29-Jun 58-01N: 05-27W Oil Gas 2 tonnes Mv Jambo Coaster ran aground and sank. WS/400 02-Jul Lochinver Harbour Oil Gas 400 litres Mfv Bressay Bank Clean-up following bunkering spill. WS/401 29-Jul 57-05N: 06-45W Oil Diesel 3 tonnes Mfv Charuny III Vessel sank and oil dispersed naturally. WS/456 30-Jul Lochinver Harbour Oil Diesel 100 litres Mfv Mariette Le Roch Most oil recovered in clean-up. WS/405 24-Aug 57-00N: 05-49W Oil Lubrication 50 litres Mv Coruisk Vessel hit rocks entering harbour. WS/408 21-Sep 56-18N: 06-25W Oil Diesel 1 litre Unidentified vessel Slick broken up by wave action. WS/1127 26-Sep Clydeport Oil Diesel 7.5 litres Mv Nordsee Sheen broken up and dispersed. WS/409 26-Sep 55-36N: 04-441W Oil Diesel 377 litres Mv Zenobia Spillage following grounding. *WS/847 27-Oct Lochinver Harbour Oil Diesel 40 litres Mfv Audacious Clean-up following bunkering spill. *WS/848 05-Nov Lochinver Harbour Oil Diesel 150 litres Mfv Mariette Le Roch Clean-up following bunkering spill. WS/849 07-Dec Portree Harbour Oil Diesel 400 litres Mfv Kathryn Jane Vessel capsized on mooring.
9: ORKNEY AND SHETLAND ISLANDS (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments OS/046 10-Feb Sandwick Harbour Oil Diesel 136 litres Mfv Cornucopia Vessel sank alongside pier. *OS/873 15-Feb Sanday Oil Lubrication 225 litres Unidentified vessel Leaking drums washed ashore. OS/047 27-Feb Sullom Voe Oil Lubrication 1 litre Mtanker Hanne Knutsen Leakage from bow thruster. *OS/875 01-May Sullom Voe Oil Diesel 1 litre Mtanker Loch Rannoch Dispersed by wave action. *OS/876 23-Jun Sullom Voe Oil Diesel 1 litre Dredging Barge Run off from deck. OS/235 25-Jun 59-19N: 02-12W Oil Crude 0.12 litres Unidentified vessel Rainbow sheen 500 m wide. *OS/856 05-Aug Sanday Oil Diesel Nk Pleasurecraft Emulsified oil. *OS/880 23-Aug Sullom Voe Oil Hydraulic 1 litre Mtanker Front Chief Slight leakage from stern gland. *OS/883 04-Nov Scapa Flow Oil Hydraulic 20 litres Mv Thorsvoe Dispersed by wave action.
10: EASTERN SCOTLAND (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments ES/055 27-Jan Aberdeen Harbour Oil Diesel 30 litres Msv B.U.E.Skye Incorrect valve opened. *ES/885 01-Feb Grangemouth Chemical Ethanol 5 litres Mctanker Tina Jakobsen Clean-up completed. *ES/886 17-Feb Arbroath Harbour Oil Fuel 200 litres Unidentified vessel Clean-up completed. *ES/1135 14-Mar Peterhead Harbour Oil Fuel 10 litres Msv North Prince Clean-up completed. ES/238 15-Apr 57-09N: 02-02W Oil Emulsified 0.22 litres Unidentified vessel Green & yellow emulsified oil. *ES/1111 30-May 56-09N: 02-59W Oil Diesel 1 litre Rig Transocean Prospect Clean-up completed. ES/243 31-May 58-06N: 01-24W Oil Nk 0.5 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Msv Grampian Guardian. ES/589 31-May 57-59N: 00-06W Oil Nk 0.5 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Sedco 712 installation. ES/244 03-Jun 58-00N: 00-59W Other Vegetable 19.4 litres Mv Jinan Discharge from tank cleaning operation. ES/245 04-Jun Aberdeen Harbour Oil Diesel 22.7 litres Msv Grampian Protector Clean-up completed. *ES/888 13-Jun Eyemouth Harbour Oil Nk Nk Unidentified vessel Warning issued to fishermen. ES/410 04-Jul Peterhead Harbour Oil Lubrication 30 litres Mfv Harvester Thin sheen after vessel pumped out. ES/411 05-Jul Dunbar Harbour Oil Diesel 500 litres Pc Nobelese Yacht ran aground and broke-up. ES/412 05-Jul Aberdeen Harbour Oil Diesel 100 litres Msv Viking Venturer Spillage during fuel transfer operation. *ES/878 23-Jul Invergordon Harbour Oil Gas 5 litres Mtug Kincraig Clean-up completed. ES/413 30-Jul Aberdeen Harbour Oil Diesel 100 litres Mfv Ocean Triumph Bunkering spill. ES/414 01-Aug Peterhead Harbour Oil Lubrication 10 litres Mfv Favonious Thin sheen after vessel pumped out. ES/464 04-Aug 57-33N: 01-24W Oil Nk 555 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by vessel and 2 helicopters. *ES/894 11-Aug Aberdeen Harbour Oil Diesel Nk Msv Normand Trym Small spill prior to bunkering. *ES/954 12-Aug Aberdeen Harbour Oil Bilge Nk Msv North Vanguard Clean-up completed. ES/407 31-Aug Aberdeen Harbour Oil Diesel 14.3 litres Msv Bue Lismore Spillage from leaking pipe on deck. ES/964 08-Oct Burntisland Oil Diesel 455 litres Mfv Unity Vessel touched bottom. ES/967 24-Oct 57-46N: 03-10W Oil Diesel 300 litres Pc Yacht Fylla Vessel sank. *ES/896 26-Oct Burghead Harbour Oil Diesel 1 litre Unidentified vessel Clean-up completed. ES/899 31-Oct Aberdeen Harbour Oil Diesel 100 litres Msv Northern Seeker Clean-up completed. *ES/897 04-Nov Buckie Harbour Oil Diesel 50 litres Unidentified vessel Clean-up completed. ES/956 15-Nov Aberdeen Harbour Oil Gas 20 litres Msv Dea Challenger Clean-up completed after bunkering spill. ES/957 19-Nov Aberdeen Harbour Oil Diesel 50 litres Msv Viking Crusader Clean-up completed after bunkering spill. *ES/900 19-Nov Grangemouth Harbour Oil Fuel 5 litres Mv Sven Dede Clean-up completed. *ES/912 21-Nov Grangemouth Harbour Oil Fuel Nk Mv Sven Dede Spill from crack in ship's hull. *ES/901 26-Nov Arbroath Harbour Oil Fuel Nk Unidentified vessel Vessel slumped at low water.
ES/902 19-Dec Cromarty Firth Oil Diesel 93 litres G.S.F. Rig 140 Overflow from fuel tank.
11: UKCS OIL AND GAS INSTALLATION ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGES (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments UKCS/044 01-Jan 60-21N: 04-04W Oil Crude 0.5 litres Schiehallion Port slop tank heater malfunction. UKCS/1163 01-Jan 59-19N: 02-34E Oil Condensate Nk Indefatigable Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1164 01-Jan 53-05N: 02-08E Oil Condensate Nk Leman Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/565 04-Jan 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/548 04-Jan 60-21N: 04-04W Chemical Cement 28 tonnes Schiehallion Accidental discharge from cement system vent. UKCS/059 05-Jan 58-28N: 00-15E Oil Diesel 30 litres Piper Bravo Pinhole leak in bunkering hose. UKCS/1167 05-Jan 58-18N: 01-42W Oil Crude 0.3 litres Sedco 714 Drilled cuttings discharge. UKCS/566 08-Jan 57-54N: 01-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/060 08-Jan 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Crude 1.125 litres Brae Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/061 09-Jan 61-34N: 01-36E Chemical Methanol & dye 1 tonne Penguins Production M Leaking hose connection. UKCS/567 09-Jan 57-18N: 01-40E Oil Hydraulic 16 litres ETAP Hose failure. UKCS/063 12-Jan 61-21N: 01-10E Oil Crude 100 litres Eider Alpha Process failure. UKCS/064 12-Jan 57-11N: 01-00E Oil Crude 190 litres Gannet Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/568 13-Jan 60-54N: 01-25E Oil Base oil 31 litres Ninian Northern Pump discharge from trip tank. UKCS/066 14-Jan 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Diesel 60 litres Tartan Alpha Diesel storage and distribution malfunction. UKCS/067 16-Jan 60-48N: 01-27E Oil Crude 1.09 tonnes Ninian Southern Leak on booster pump discharge line. UKCS/549 16-Jan 53-50N: 00-28E Chemical Triethylene Glycol 1.02 tonnes Rough 47/3B Failure of glands to pump. UKCS/069 16-Jan 57-27N: 01-23E Oil Lubrication 20 litres Montrose Alpha Leakage during maintenance operation. UKCS/070 17-Jan 58-28N: 00-15E Oil Crude Nk Piper Bravo Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/072 20-Jan 58-11N: 00-07E Oil Crude 12 litres AH001 Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/073 21-Jan 58-19N: 00-41E Oil Crude 400 litres North Sea Producer Faulty level transmitter. UKCS/074 21-Jan 61-06N: 01-43E Oil Lubrication 0.2 litres Brent Charlie Spillage via drains to sea. UKCS/075 22-Jan 57-46N: 01-48E Oil Crude 4 litres North Everest Level control failure on sepatator. UKCS/076 23-Jan 57-18N: 01-40E Oil Crude 4 litres ETAP Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/077 24-Jan 56-21N: 02-17E Chemical Bentonite 20 tonnes NTVL Faulty weight indicator caused discharge. UKCS/078 25-Jan 57-44N: 00-51E Oil Crude 30 litres Forties Charlie Spillage during maintenance. UKCS/079 26-Jan 60-48N: 01-27E Oil Crude 100 litres Ninian Southern Instrument control problems. UKCS/569 26-Jan 58-17N: 00-28E Oil Crude 9 litres Northern Producer Drain line leakage. UKCS/081 27-Jan 58-48N: 01-21E Oil Diesel 0.2 litres Brae Bravo Leakage from sampling hose. UKCS/083 28-Jan 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude 25 litres Alwyn North Blocked drain in process plant. UKCS/045 31-Jan 60-19N: 04-16W Oil Lubrication 770 litres Petrojarl Foinaven Broken tube in Lube Oil Cooler.
UKCS/084 01-Feb 53:50N: 00-28E Oil Crude Nk Rough 47/3B Incident on-going. UKCS/085 01-Feb 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/570 03-Feb 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/088 04-Feb 61-37N: 01-18E Oil Crude Nk Magnus Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/089 05-Feb 53-11N: 02-52E Oil Diesel 10 litres Sean Papa Tank overflow. UKCS/091 05-Feb 58-18N: 01-46W Oil Crude 100 litres Captain WPP Corrosion failure of production line. UKCS/092 05-Feb 53-50N: 00-28E Oil Condensate Nk Rough 47/3B Faulty low-level alarm. UKCS/094 06-Feb 53-48N: 01002E Oil Diesel 40 litres Hyde Platform Bunkering spill. UKCS/093 07-Feb 58-02N: 01-24E Oil Crude Nk Andrew Produced Water discharge. UKCS/1201 08-Feb 58-18N: 01-46W Oil Crude 0.1 litres Captain Discharge of drilled cuttings. UKCS/571 08-Feb 58-02N: 01-24E Oil Crude Nk Andrew Blockages in hydrocyclone. UKCS/101 09-Feb 58-25N: 00-19W Oil Crude Nk Claymore Alpha Sump pile caisson failure. UKCS/102 09-Feb 58-29N: 00-24E Oil Hydraulic 0.1 litres Sedco 714 Drain plug leakage on drip tray. UKCS/586 11-Feb 53-34N: 02:00E Oil Hydraulic 40 litres Audrey WD Leaking fitting. UKCS/106 11-Feb 53-00N: 02-02E Oil Hydraulic 2 litres Maersk Enhancer Hose failure. UKCS/108 12-Feb 60-54N: 01-25E Oil Crude 8 litres Ninian Northern Source and cause unknown. UKCS/572 12-Feb 58-11N: 00-07E Oil Reclaimed 250 litres AH001 Leakage from reclaimed oil pontoon. UKCS/573 12-Feb 58-11N :00-07E Oil Crude Nk AH001 Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/110 13-Feb 53-19N: 02-34E Oil Diesel 1 litre Indefatigable 23 Alpha Generator tank overfilled. UKCS/112 14-Feb 61-21N: 01-10E Oil Crude 250 litres Eider Alpha Process upsets. UKCS/113 15-Feb 61-37N: 01-18E Oil Crude 0.71 litres Magnus Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/117 19-Feb 59-37N: 01-31E Other Oil-based mud 10 litres Beryl Bravo Leakage from pipe connection at top drive. UKCS/120 20-Feb 58-25N: 00-19W Oil Diesel 13 litres Claymore Alpha Leakage from transfer fuel line. UKCS/122 20-Feb 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude 5 litres Alywn North Condensate pump leaking valve in drain. UKCS/124 21-Feb 53-50N: 00-28E Oil Crude Nk Rough 47/3B Process upset. UCKS/125 22-Feb 53-59N: 00-33E Oil Diesel 1.5 litres GSF Transfer hose failed. UKCS/126 23-Feb 53-54N: 00-33E Oil Diesel 1.5 litres GSF Apollo Field Hose failure. UKCS/132 26-Feb 57-43N: 00-54E Oil Crude Nk Forties Delta Process Water System instability. UKCS/133 26-Feb 58-33N: 01-39E Oil Crude 22 litres Global Producer III Cooler internal plate failure. UKCS/574 26-Feb 53-32N: 03-34W Oil Crude Nk Douglas Vortoil reject during startup. UKCS/048 01-Mar 60-21N: 04-04W Oil Crude 12 litres Schiehallion Spillage of oily water during decoupling operation. UKCS/138 01-Mar 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude 0.5 litres Alwyn North Blocked drain outlet. UKCS/140 03-Mar 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Process upset after shutdown.
UKCS/142 03-Mar 59-37N: 01-31E Oil Crude Nk Beryl Bravo Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/143 03-Mar 57-43N: 00-54E Oil Diesel 300 litres Forties Delta Diesel bunkered exceeded limit. UKCS/144 04-Mar 57-02N: 01-57E Oil Crude Nk Shearwater Could not be traced to a source. UKCS/146 06-Mar 58-41N: 01-17E Oil Crude Nk Brae Alpha Produced Water Floatation Unit upset. UKCS/148 07-Mar 60-54N: 01-25E Oil Crude Nk Ninian Northern Process upset. UKCS/149 08-Mar 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/150 08-Mar 59-33N: 01-39E Oil Crude 2.1 litres Global Producer III Failure of water returns pump mechanical seal. UKCS/152 09-Mar 58-09N: 03-01W Oil Crude 36 tonnes Beatrice Bravo Mechanical failure in production header. UKCS/050 09-Mar 60-21N: 04-04W Oil Crude 300 litres Schiehallion Suspected leaking hose. UKCS/153 09-Mar 57-17N: 02-11E Oil Condensate 10 litres Lomond Instrument failure. UKCS/154 09-Mar 61-06N: 01-04E Oil Diesel 2.5 litres Cormorant Alpha Overflow from day tank. *UKCS/1533 10-Mar 53-45N: 01-10E Chemical Hydraulic Fluid Nk Hoton Leak from Actuator valve. UKCS/155 10-Mar 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/158 10-Mar 57-28N: 00-31E Oil Crude 1 litre Kittiwake KLB Loading hose end connection valve. UKCS/156 11-Mar 53-04N: 02-14W Oil Diesel 30 litres Leman 49/27 Alpha Generator tank overfilled. UKCS/575 12-Mar 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/159 13-Mar 58-28N: 00-15E Oil Lubrication 20 litres Piper Bravo Spillage via open drains system. UKCS/160 13-Mar 61-37N: 01-18E Oil Crude Nk Magnus Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/162 13-Mar 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/163 13-Mar 61-17N: 01-36N Chemical Baker Pertolite Nk Dunlin Alpha Rupture of water injection flowline. UKCS/166 14-Mar 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude Nk Alwyn North Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/170 16-Mar 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude Nk Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/172 17-Mar 57-43N: 00-54E Oil Crude Nk Forties Delta Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/556 17-Mar 57-15N: 00-48E Oil Crude 30 litres Bitttern/Guillemot Leakage from vent valve. UKCS/174 17-Mar 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude 10 litres Buchan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. *UKCS/1535 18-Mar 54-02N: 01-06E Chemical Hydraulic Fluid 250 litres Ravenspurn North Leaking line. UKCS/180 18-Mar 61-22N: 01-35E Oil Crude 83 litres Thistle Overflow from drains caisson. UKCS/181 19-Mar 53-05N: 02-08E Oil Condensate 0.1 litres Leman Alpha Leaking ram on condensate export pump. UKCS/182 19-Mar 58-28N: 00-15E Oil Aviation Fuel 0.8 litres Piper Bravo Spillage from sample jar. UKCS/183 20-Mar 58-17N: 00-12E Other Oil-based mud 165 litres Scott Hose failure during transfer operation. UKCS/576 22-Mar 58-17N; 00-12E Oil Crude 12 litres Hewett Spillage from sump tank vessel. UKCS/184 23-Mar 57-40N: 01-09E Oil Base oil 10 litres Nelson Pin hole leak in bunkering hose. UKCS/186 24-Mar 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Diesel 12 litres Tartan Alpha Valve seal failure.
UKCS/577 25-Mar 53-23N: 02:00E Oil Emulsion 2 litres Loggs Overflow of open drains. UKCS/052 25-Mar 60-21N: 04-04W Oil Crude 0.5 litres Schiehallion Hose reel seal failure. UKCS/187 26-Mar 58-17N: 00-12E Oil Crude 25 litres Scott Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/188 27-Mar 56-24N: 02-04E Oil Lubrication 1 litre Auk Alpha Pump seal failure. UKCS/189 29-Mar 57-43N: 00-54E Oil Crude 90 litres Forties Delta Instrumentation failure. UKCS/247 03-Apr 58-11N: 00-07E Oil Crude 46.5 litres AH001 Defective valve on water knock out vessel. UKCS/248 04-Apr 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Condensate 0.01 litres Brae Bravo Drainage system. UKCS/253 05-Apr 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Diesel 10 litres Tartan Alpha Split in bunkering hose. UKCS/254 05-Apr 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Lubrication 195 litres Buchan Alpha Drains tank overflow. UKCS/257 08-Apr 58-04N: 01-05E Oil Base oil 77.5 litres Alba Northern Burst tranfer hose. UKCS/252 10-Apr 57-18N: 01-40E Chemical Corrosion inhibitor Nk ETAP Leak from umbilical core. UKCS/559 11-Apr 57-05N: 00-54E Chemical Pertolite 140 litres Triton Plastic drum lost to sea. UKCS/259 12-Apr 57-43N: 00-54E Oil Crude 44.6 litres Forties Delta Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/260 13-Apr 57-40N: 01-09E Oil Hydraulic 2 litres Nelson Burst hose. UKCS/261 13-Apr 53-50N: 00-28E Chemical Triethylene glycol 200 litres Rough 47/3B Pipeline leakage. UKCS/262 13-Apr 59-33N: 01-39E Oil Crude 45 litres Global Producer III Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/263 13-Apr 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude 27.5 litres Buchan Alpha Produced water System malfunction. UKCS/1585 13-Apr 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Lubrication 1.5 litres Brae Bravo Faulty level indicator. UKCS/264 13-Apr 61-08N: 01-44E Other Oil-based mud 20 litres Brent Delta Hose failure. UKCS/1586 14-Apr 58-59N: 01-29E Other Oil-based mud 6 litres Braemar Leakage of slip joint. UKCS/265 14-Apr 58-59N: 01-29E Other Oil-based mud 8 litres Stena Spey Leakage of slip joint. UKCS/266 15-Apr 54-02N: 01-06E Chemical Triethylene glycol 19 tonnes Ravenspurn North Back pressure causing discharge to drain. UKCS/267 16-Apr 56-27N: 02-17E Chemical Scaletreat 867 2 litres Clyde Overflow of chemical injection skid drain. UKCS/286 16-Apr 61-37N: 01-18E Oil Crude 1.5 litres Magnus Produced water System upset. UKCS/1541 17-Apr 61-17N: 00-55E Chemical Ammonium bisulphate Nk Hudson Leakage from minor pipework holes. UKCS/269 17-Apr 61-15N: 00-44E Oil Crude 15 litres Hudson Grease fitting on subsea manifold. UKCS/272 18-Apr 57-43N: 00-54E Oil Crude 200 litres Forties Delta Produced Water Sytem malfunction. UKCS/270 19-Apr 61-17N: 00-55E Oil Hydraulic 80 litres Tern Alpha Burst hose. UKCS/277 22-Apr 60-21N: 04-04W Oil Crude 30 litres Schiehallion Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/279 23-Apr 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Crude 0.05 litres Brae Bravo Drainage system malfunction. UKCS/1542 24-Apr 59-37N: 01-31E Chemical Scale inhibitor 1 tonne Beryl Bravo Loss of integrity of holding tank. UKCS/578 24-Apr 53-26N: 02-20E Oil Diesel 19.5 litres Viking Bravo Overflow from vent on diesel tank. UKCS/280 25-Apr 58-02N: 01-24E Oil Diesel 150 litres Andrew Burst hose during bunkering operation.
UKCS/282 25-Apr 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Diesel 10 litres Tartan Alpha Gauge failure. UKCS/283 27-Apr 60-38N: 01-39E Oil Crude 7.8 litres Dunbar Leaking oily water caisson. UKCS/284 27-Apr 60-54N: 01-25E Other Oil-based-mud Nk Ninian Northern Pinhole leak in bunkering hose. UKCS/285 28-Apr 57-42N: 00-51E Oil Crude 70 litres Forties Bravo ECS outflow problem. UKCS/287 28-Apr 56-58N: 01-55E Oil Lubrication 4 litres Franklin WHP Human error. UKCS/1543 30-Apr 58-02N; 01-07E Chemical Water-based mud 340 kg Britannia Hose failure. UKCS/288 30-Apr 57-18N: 01-40E Oil Lubrication 516 litres ETAP Lubrication oil decanted into drain system. UKCS/290 01-May 57-42N: 00-51E Oil Diesel 9 litres Forties Bravo Source and cause unknown. UKCS/291 03-May 56-43N: 02-05E Oil Condensate 4 litres Stena Dee Cause unknown. UKCS/292 03-May 58-52N: 01-31E Oil Condensate 3 litres East Brae Wireline operators error. UKCS/293 05-May 59-37N: 01-31E Oil Hydraulic 4 litres Beryl Bravo ROV oilpump failure. UKCS/294 06-May 54-02N: 00-44E Oil Condensate 0.76 litres Cleeton Field Spill during isolation of pump. UKCS/295 06-May 59-37N: 01-31E Oil Hydraulic 8 litres Beryl Bravo Rov oil pump failure. UKCS/296 11-May 58-27N: 00-15W Oil Crude 0.05 litres Claymore Alpha Washing down module decks. UKCS/297 11-May 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Crude Nk Brae Bravo Produced water System malfunction. UKCS/298 11-May 61-06N: 01-19E Other Oil-based mud 0.99 litres North West Hutton Minor leakage from valve. UKCS/309 12-May 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Texatherm 12 litres Tartan Alpha Valve left open during maintenance operation. *UKCS/1544 13-May 61-16N: 01-36E Chemical Hydraulic Fluid 7.12 tonnes Dunlin Alpha Leakage from subsea manifold system. UKCS/579 13-May 53-32N: 03-34W Oil Condensate Nk Douglas No visible pollution. UKCS/301 14-May 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude 28 litres Alwyn North Plant restart following unplanned shutdown. UKCS/300 13-May 53-22N: 02-34E Oil Condensate 36 litres Indefatigable Discharge due to broken pump. UKCS/302 15-May 61-34N: 01-16E Oil Diesel 1.6 litres Sedco 714 Pin hole leak in fuel hose. UKCS/303 15-May 56-43N: 02-05E Oil Condensate 0.9 litres Stena Dee Drop out during flare boom change. UKCS/1304 16-May 57-15N: 00-49E Oil Crude 660 litres Teal/Guillemot Leakage from wellhead. UKCS/305 16-May 56-27N: 02-17E Oil Crude Nk Clyde Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/308 17-May 57-44N: 00-58E Oil Crude 25 litres Forties Alpha Sea pump displacement. UKCS/312 18-May 61-22N: 01-35E Oil Crude Nk Thistle Overflow from Produced Water tank. UKCS/310 19-May 61-17N: 01-36E Oil Diesel 0.3 litres Dunlin Alpha Pin hole leak in bunkering hose. UKCS/311 20-May 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Crude 25 litres Brae Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1587 21-May 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Crude Nk Brae Bravo Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/317 25-May 57-59N: 00-06W Oil Crude 0.0018 litres Sedco 712 Overfilling of well stock tank. UKCS/318 25-May 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Crude Nk Brae Alpha Leakage slop oil vessel. UKCS/580 25-May 53-28N: 01-55E Oil Hydraulic 0.5 litres Galleon PN Failure of fitting on crane.
UKCS/320 25-May 58-52N: 01-31E Oil Crude 0.3 litres East Brae Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/581 26-May 58-18N: 01-46W Oil Diesel 100 litres Captain Bunkering hose failure. UKCS/323 26-May 61-06N: 01-04E Chemical Xanthan Gum Liquid 0.99 kg Cormorant Alpha Loss of containment from re-injection line. UKCS/324 27-May 57-18N: 01-40E Oil Hydraulic 540 litres ETAP Skua sub-sea manifold leakage. UKCS/582 28-May 56-00N: 03-11E Oil Crude 282 litres Uisge Gorm Control instrument failure. UKCS/325 28-May 61-14N: 01-09E Oil Crude 450 litres North Cormorant Hole in sea sump pump discharge line. UKCS/1546 28-May 53-05N: 02-08E Chemical Mono-ethylene 25 tonnes Leman pipeline. Pipeline shutdown and repaired. UKCS/327 28-May 60-38N: 01-39E Oil Crude 40 litres Dunbar Suspect oily water caisson. UKCS/330 30-May 61-06N: 01-04E Oil Base oil 90 litres Cormorant Alpha Overflow of flowline ditch. UKCS/328 30-May 60-51N: 01-28E Oil Crude 100 litres Ninian Central Loss of interface from separator vessel. UKCS/331 02-Jun 56-43N: 02-05E Oil Crude 1 litre Stena Dee Drill stem test tubing coated with condensate. UKCS/332 06-Jun 56-24N: 02-15E Oil Crude 1 litre Janice Small dropout from test flare boom. UKCS/333 07-Jun 60-48N: 01-02E Oil Crude 100 litres Ninian Southern Process upset due to instrument failure. UKCS/335 07-Jun 57-44N: 00-51E Oil Diesel 0.8 litres Forties Charlie Bunkering spill. UKCS/336 08-Jun 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Texatherm coolant 350 litres Tartan Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/338 08-Jun 61-24N: 01-44E Oil Crude Nk Murchison Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/562 08-Jun 53-54N; 00-33E Chemical Koplus LL 1 tonne Global Santa Fe Fork lift perforated container causing spillage. UKCS/337 08-Jun 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Diesel 2.25 litres Brae Bravo Loss of water seal on diesel centrifuge. UKCS/339 08-Jun 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude 20 litres Alwyn North Loss of control on oil/water separation plant. UKCS/341 09-Jun 57-08N: 01-59E Other Well Fluid 1 litre Ocean Guardian Discharge after end cap removed. UKCS/343 10-Jun 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude Nk Alwyn North Oil/water separator failure. UKCS/344 12-Jun 53-40N: 00-54E Oil Base oil 7 litres Galaxy 1 Rig Hose failure. UKCS/345 12-Jun 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude Nk Alwyn North Oily water plant upset. UKCS/346 12-Jun 57-44N: 00-58E Oil Crude 60 litres Forties Alpha Plant upset during start up. UKCS/348 14-Jun 61-21N: 01-10E Oil Crude Nk Eider Alpha Produced water flash drum discharge. UKCS/350 15-Jun 58-04N: 01-05E Oil Waste 6.3 litres Alba Northern Burst hose. UKCS/349 16-Jun 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude Nk Alwyn North Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/352 17-Jun 54-28N: 02-22E Other Hydrocarbon gas 0.4 litres Hawksley 44/17A Escape from instrument plug. UKCS/356 18-Jun 56:00N: 03-11E Oil Diesel 2 litres Uisge Gorm Bunkering hose failure. UKCS/357 18-Jun 61-14N: 01-09E Oil Hydraulic 150 litres North Cormorant Fracture of oil supply line end fitting. UKCS/358 18-Jun 60-48N: 01-02E Oil Crude 300 litres Ninian Southern Deluge discharge into production module. UKCS/1548 21-Jun 61-32N: 01-40E Chemical Lubrication Fluid 400 litres Penguin DC4 Leakage from damaged subsea equipment. UKCS/359 21-Jun 56-01N: 03-11E Oil Crude 20 litres Uisge Gorm Produced Water System malfunction.
UKCS/583 22-Jun 58-17N: 00-12E Oil Lubrication 3 litres Scott Spillage into storm drain. UKCS/360 22-Jun 56-24N: 02-15E Oil Crude 6 litres Janice Alpha Suspected flow line leakage. UKCS/584 22-Jun 53-51N: 03-46W Oil Condensate 23 litres North Morecambe Spillage from slop oil tank. UKCS/361 22-Jun 58-03N: 01-04E Oil Crude 140 litres Alba Northern Fluids backed up in hazardous drains caisson. UKCS/363 23-Jun 61-06N: 01-19E Oil Crude 2 litres North West Hutton Spillage from well annulus. UKCS/1543 24-Jun 61-19N: 01-33E Chemical Lubricant Nk Seawell Leakage from subsea module. UKCS/367 27-Jun 54-04N: 02-05E Other Oil-based-mud 3 litres Monarch 44/26 Leakage from pump liner seal. UKCS/368 27-Jun 57-23N: 02:00E Oil Hydraulic 2 litres Mungo Control valve hand jack reservoir overflow. UKCS/369 28-Jun 61-14N: 01-09E Oil Lubrication 50 litres North Cormorant Lube oil regulator failure. UKCS/371 29-Jun 57-27N: 01-23E Oil Crude 260 litres Montrose Alpha Leakage from crude oil duplex filter housing. UKCS/418 02-Jul 61-14N: 01-09E Oil Crude 500 litres North Cormorant Loss of interface level control on sepatator. UKCS/419 03-Jul 57-44N: 00-58E Oil Crude 1.256 tonnes Forties Alpha Blockage in skimming line. UKCS/420 03-Jul 58-32N: 01-16E Oil Crude 16 litres Stena Dee Malfunction of flaring off process. UKCS/422 03-Jul 58-32N: 01-16E Oil Crude 16 litres Stena Dee Spillage of residual oil when air barrier removed. UKCS/423 04-Jul 58-32N: 01-16E Oil Crude 10 litres Stena Dee Malfunction in flaring operation. UKCS/424 05-Jul 59-17N: 01-31E Other Oil-based mud (5% oil) 160 litres BP Harding Hole in ditch wall. UKCS/425 05-Jul 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude 50 litres Alwyn North Malfunction in oily water treatment plant. UKCS/426 05-Jul 60-38N: 01-39E Oil Crude 3 litres Dunbar Suspect leakage in oily water caisson. UKCS/427 06-Jul 53-05N: 02-08E Oil Diesel 0.5 litres Leman Alpha Pin hole leak in supply pipeline. UKCS/428 06-Jul 53-20N: 02-38E Oil Diesel 4 litres Indefatigable Overflow from storage tank. UKCS/431 08-Jul 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Crude Nk Brae Alpha Deoiler pump malfunction. UKCS/432 10-Jul 57-42N: 00-51E Oil Waste 3 litres Forties Bravo Displaced water from sea sump. UKCS/1366 16-Jul 57-15N: 00-49E Oil Crude 290 litres Teal/Guillemot De-watering of slops tank. UKCS/434 16-Jul 53-42N: 03-23W Oil Hydraulic 200 litres Liverpool Bay Suspected hydraulic leakage. UKCS/1369 17-Jul 53-26N: 02-20E Oil Diesel 63 litres Viking Bravo Spillage from generator. *UKCS/1550 18-Jul 56-24N: 02-15E Chemical Lubricant 12,300 kg Janice Leaking control line to subsea wellhead. UKCS/438 19-Jul 57-11N: 01:00E Oil Crude 1.25 tonnes Gannet Alpha Carry over of oil from gas floatation unit. UKCS/440 20-Jul 58-02N: 01-07E Oil Diesel 2.4 litres Britannia Effluent from wash-down operations. UKCS/1375 20-Jul 53-36N: 01-31E Oil Gas 200 litres Barque Storage tank overlow. UKCS/442 20-Jul 54-02N: 02-29E Oil Condensate 10 litres Maersk Enhancer Condensate washed into sea during heavy rain. UKCS/443 21-Jul 58-14N: 01-07E Oil Crude 500 litres Balmoral FPU Subsea production manifold leakage. UKCS/444 21-Jul 61-06N: 01-04E Other Oil-based mud 1.5 litres South Cormorant Mud skid treatment overflow. UKCS/445 21-Jul 58-25N: 00-19W Oil Nk 80 litres Claymore Alpha Under investigation at time of reporting.
UKCS/1379 22-Jul 58-17N: 00-12E Oil Diesel 100 litres Hewett Hose failure during bunkering. UKCS/446 22-Jul 57-15N: 00-49E Oil Waste Nk Anasuria Spillage during deck wash operation. UKCS/447 23-Jul 58-28N: 00-15E Oil Nk Nk Piper Bravo Under investigation at time of reporting. UKCS/449 24-Jul 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Diesel 85 litres Tartan Alpha Valves inadvertently knocked open. UKCS/450 24-Jul 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude Nk Alwyn North Under investigation at time of reporting. *UKCS/1551 25-Jul 60-56N: 01-42E Chemical Oxygen scavenger 0.28 kg Strathspey Leakage from water injection line. *UKCS/1552 25-Jul 59-22N: 01-34E Chemical Hydraulic Fluid 6,996 kg Gryphon Leakage from control line riser base. UKCS/451 25-Jul 56-24N: 02-04E Oil Crude 60 litres Auk Alpha Drain gulley overflow. UKCS/452 26-Jul 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Crude Nk Brae Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1388 27-Jul 58-28N: 00-15E Oil Lubrication 11 litres Piper Bravo Under investigation at time of reporting. UKCS/455 27-Jul 61-16N: 01-36E Oil Lubrication 11 litres Dunlin Alpha Caused by faulty oil tank seal. UKCS/1389 31-Jul 53-20N: 02-38E Oil Diesel 30 litres Indefatigable Tank overflow. UKCS/1390 01-Aug 58-24N: 00-07E Oil Crude 129 litres Highlander Leakage drom subsea riser connection. UKCS/460 02-Aug 53-51N: 03-46W Oil Diesel 125 litres Morecambe Field Spillage caused by burst diesel hose. UKCS/465 05-Aug 58-18N: 01-45W Oil Crude 20 litres Captain FPSO Discharge due to pipework corrosion. UKCS/467 06-Aug 60-48N: 01-01E Oil Crude 500 litres Ninian Southern Separator malfunction. UKCS/468 06-Aug 61-16N: 01-36E Oil Lubrication 200 litres Dunlin Alpha Pipeline fitting failure leading to discharge. UKCS/472 08-Aug 53-07N: 02-04E Oil Base oil 0.75 litres Leman Leaking swab in mud pump cooling system. UKCS/480 10-Aug 58-53N: 01-32E Oil Condensate 1.3 litres East Brae Flushing pump-out hose to sea. UKCS/481 10-Aug 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Diesel 0.24 litres Brae Alpha Spillage during bunkering operation. UKCS/485 12-Aug 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Crude 0.4 litres Brae Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1553 13-Aug 58-24N: 00-06E Chemical Hydraulic fluid 5 litres Ocean Princess Leakage from ROV. UKCS/487 13-Aug 53-37N: 00-01E Oil Hydraulic 1 litre Amethyst Faulty equipment on oil clean-up package. UKCS/488 13-Aug 59-37N: 01-31E Oil Crude 60.8 litres Beryl Bravo Malfunction test separator. UKCS/489 14-Aug 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Crude Nk Brae Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/491 15-Aug 61-21N: 01-10E Oil Crude Nk Eider Alpha Produced Water flash drum discharge. UKCS/492 17-Aug 56-11N: 02-46E Other Oil-based mud (64%) 500 litres Rowan Gorilla VII Leaking master dump valve. UKCS/493 17-Aug 58-24N: 00-06E Oil Crude 200 litres Ocean Princess Fall out of unburned oil/water from flare boom. UKCS/495 18-Aug 60-48N: 01-01E Oil Crude 10 litres Ninian Southern Oil from produced water caisson after start up. UKCS/496 19-Aug 61-06N: 01-43E Oil Hydraulic 1 litre Brent Charlie Failure of isolation valve on boom hoist pump. UKCS/497 19-Aug 59-45N: 01-40E Oil Hydraulic 3 litres Bruce Waste oil overflowed to adjacent open drain. UKCS/498 20-Aug 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Crude Nk Brae Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/500 24-Aug 60-48N: 01-01E Oil Crude 30 litres Ninian Southern Testing of fixed systems including drains.
UKCS/501 25-Aug 60-51N: 01-28E Oil Crude Nk Ninian Central Separator malfunction on start up. UKCS/503 26-Aug 58-42N: 01-17E Oil Diesel 0.0001 litres Brae Alpha Pinhole leak in supply line. UKCS/504 26-Aug 58-18N: 01-46E Oil Crude 10 litres Captain WPP Overboard oil in water analyser sample line. UKCS/505 26-Aug 57-15N: 00-49E Oil Crude 1 litre Anasuria Oil in sewater system for flushing decks. UKCS/506 26-Aug 56-27N: 02-17E Oil Crude Nk Clyde Produced Water System process conditions. UKCS/507 27-Aug 56-42N: 02-20E Oil Diesel 18 litres Judy Crane engine tank overflow. UKCS/508 27-Aug 58-24N: 00-07E Oil Crude 2 litres Tartan Alpha Leakage from test production line. UKCS/509 28-Aug 58-14N: 01-07E Oil Crude 250 litres Balmoral FPV Suspected to be from a holed flowline. UKCS/510 29-Aug 53-26N: 02-20E Oil Hydraulic 125 litres Viking Bravo Leaking diaphragm O ring. UKCS/512 31-Aug 60-54N: 01-25E Oil Base oil 125 litres Ninian Northern Instrument gauge malfunction. UKCS/1554 01-Sep 61-14N: 01-09E Chemical Glycol/hydraulic fluid 10 kg North Cormorant Failure of compression fitting. UKCS/1555 03-Sep 61-37N: 01-18E Chemical Cement 0.01 litres Magnus Leak from bunkering hose. UKCS/516 03-Sep 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Crude 8 litres Tartan Alpha Venting System malfunction. UKCS/517 04-Sep 60-51N: 01-28E Oil Crude 140 litres Ninian Central Separator System malfunction. UKCS/518 04-Sep 61-37N: 01-18E Oil Crude 23.7 litres Magnus Leak from flare drum. UKCS/520 05-Sep 58-24N: 00-07E Oil Crude 1 litre Tartan Alpha Investigation underway at time of reporting. UKCS/521 06-Sep 57-08N: 01-59E Oil Hydraulic 300 litres Shearwater Leakage from subsea module. UKCS/1556 07-Sep 58-02N: 01-24E Chemical Corrosion inhibitor 100 litres Andrew Overfilled tank. UKCS/523 09-Sep 57-27N: 01-23E Oil Diesel 100 litres Montrose Alpha Spillage from tank through overflow. UKCS/524 10-Sep 56-24N: 02-15E Oil Crude Nk Janice Oil carryover from separator. UKCS/526 13-Sep 54-12N: 02-20E Oil Hydraulic 0.65 litres Ensco 72 Failure of swagelok connector. UKCS/1557 14-Sep 56-27N: 02-17E Chemical Scale inhibitor 100 kg Clyde Overflow of batch tank. UKCS/527 14-Sep 58-53N: 01-32E Oil Hydraulic 40 litres East Brae Spillage of Castrol Magna 10. UKCS/529 14-Sep 57-11N: 00-44E Oil Crude 150 litres Ocean Nomad Spillage caused by faulty valve. UKCS/531 15-Sep 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude 50 litres Alwyn North Caused by blocked drain and oil caisson full. UKCS/532 15-Sep 60-48N: 01-01E Oil Crude 200 litres Ninian Southern Spillage from oily water caisoon. UKCS/1445 17-Sep 57-15N: 00-48E Oil Crude Nk Bittern/Gullemot Discharge from slop tank. UKCS/1446 18-Sep 57-15N: 00-48E Oil Crude Nk Bittern/Gullemot Slop tank batch discharge. UKCS/1558 18-Sep 58-04N: 01026W Chemical Methanol 100 kg Bleo Holm Damaged subsea hose. UKCS/533 18-Sep 56-30N: 02-09E Oil Diesel 0.1 litres Fulmar Alpha Pin hole leak in bunkering hose. UKCS/534 18-Sep 58-18N: 01-46W Oil Crude 20 litres Captain WPP Failure of mechanical seal in drains pipework. *UKCS/1559 20-Sep 57-59N: 00-06W Chemical Cement 283 kg Sedco 712 Unblocked loading hose. UKCS/1560 20-Sep 58-18N: 01-46W Chemical Demulsifier 145 kg Captain Accidental disconnection of bunkering hose.
UKCS/538 20-Sep 56-30N: 02-09E Oil Crude Nk Fulmar Alpha Separator System malfunction. UKCS/539 21-Sep 56-26N: 02-42E Oil Diesel 78 litres NTVL Fuel hose burst. UKCS/540 22-Sep 59-37N: 01-31E Oil Crude Nk Beryl Bravo Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1452 22-Sep 58-07N: 01-25W Oil Crude 118 litres Ross, Parry & Blake Field shut down. UKCS/1453 23-Sep 53-05N: 02-33E Oil Crude Nk Thames Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1454 23-Sep 58-07N: 01-25W Oil Crude 295 litres Ross, Parry & Blake Field shut down. UKCS/1455 23-Sep 58-07N: 01-25W Oil Crude 177 litres Ross, Parry & Blake Field shut down. UKCS/544 25-Sep 57-44N: 00-58E Oil Crude 280 litres Forties Alpha Separator System malfunction. UKCS/545 26-Sep 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Crude Nk Brae Bravo Produced Water System malfunction. *UKCS/1561 29-Sep 57-59N: 00-06W Chemical Cement & additives 3,778 kg Sedco 712 Discharge of residual cement. UKCS/1458 01-Oct 53-03N: 01-41E Oil Crude Nk Hewett Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1053 02-Oct 53-27N: 02-20E Oil Diesel 150 litres Viking Bravo Hose split during bunkering operations. UKCS/1461 03-Oct 53-37N: 00-01E Oil Diesel 3 litres Amethyst Leakage from transfer hose. UKCS/547 03-Oct 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude Nk Alwyn North Separator System malfunction. UKCS/977 06-Oct 60-1N: 04-04W Oil Lubrication 40 litres Schiehallion Lube oil system overpressurised. *UKCS/1562 09-Oct 53-57N: 00-35E Chemical Hydraulic Fluid 12 kg Minerva Supply hose ruptured. UKCS/1563 10-Oct 61-16N: 00-55E Chemical Treated water 900 kg Tern Alpha Heating medium line leak. UKCS/1564 11-Oct 53-03N: 02-14E Chemical M.E.G. 500 kg Parenco 49/27A Overflow from tank. UKCS/981 12-Oct 56-11N: 02-46E Other Oil-based mud 1 tonne Rowan Gorilla 7 53% oil-diverter line leakage. UKCS/982 14-Oct 58-03N: 01-02E Oil Diesel 20 litres Alba FSU Hose failure during oil transfer. UKCS/983 14-Oct 58-00N: 00-23W Oil Base oil 40 litres Goldeneye Hose failure during oil transfer. UKCS/1051 15-Oct 53-05N: 02-08E Oil Diesel 40 litres Leman Alpha Leakage from corroded pipework. UKCS/1467 16-Oct 59-37N: 01-31E Oil Crude Nk Beryl Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1469 17-Oct 59-33N: 01-24E Oil Crude Nk Nevis Leakage from flowline connector seal. UKCS/984 17-Oct 61-14N: 01-09E Oil Crude 25 litres North Cormorant Pump failure. UKCS/986 18-Oct 61-37N: 01-18E Oil Crude Nk Magnus Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1565 20-Oct 57-11N: 01-00E Chemical Heating medium 10 tonnes Gannet Alpha Spillage caused by hose failure. *UKCS/1566 21-Oct 57-05N: 00-54E Chemical Treated sea water 24 tonnes Clapham Line parted during pigging operation. UKCS/988 21-Oct 56-26N: 02-42E Oil Crude 50 litres Noble TV Langveld Drop out from well test flare boom. UKCS/989 21-Oct 59-37N: 01-31E Oil Crude Nk Beryl Bravo Plant upset when starting up a well. UKCS/990 23-Oct 58-07N: 01-25W Oil Crude 90 litres Sedco 712 Leakage from flare oil line. UKCS/994 23-Oct 57-53N: 00-54W Chemical Control fluid 5 litres Sedco 714 Hose failure. UKCS/992 24-Oct 57-27N: 01-23E Oil Hydraulic 200 litres Montrose Alpha Hose failure.
UKCS/1568 25-Oct 60-54N: 01-25E Chemical Brine 150 litres Ninian Northern Failure pf bulk transfer hose. UKCS/995 26-Oct 60-51N: 01-28E Oil Crude Nk Ninian Central Temporary process upset. UKCS/996 27-Oct 57-15N: 00-49E Oil Crude 2.2 litres Anasuria Crude oil in process deck gully. UKCS/997 30-Oct 58-07N: 01-25W Oil Crude 70 litres Sedco 712 Port flare boom operation malfunction. UKCS/998 31-Oct 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Crude 90 litres Alwyn North Temporary plant upset. UKCS/1480 31-Oct 60-49N: 01-44E Oil Diesel 2 litres Alwyn North Spill from waste caisson. UKCS/1000 31-Oct 59-37N: 01-31E Oil Crude Nk Beryl Bravo Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1001 31-Oct 59-33N: 01-32E Oil Crude Nk Beryl Alpha Temporary process upset. UKCS/1004 03-Nov 59-17N: 01-31E Oil Base oil 5 litres BP Harding Leak from wire line riser connection. UKCS/1005 04-Nov 60-51N: 01-28E Oil Crude 70 litres Ninian Central Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1006 04-Nov 57-11N: 01-00E Oil Crude 7 litres Gannet Alpha Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1008 06-Nov 57-11N: 01-00E Oil Crude Nk Gannet Alpha Turbine Waste Heat Recovery Unit malfunction. UKCS/1009 06-Nov 59-45N: 01-40E Oil Base oil Nk Bruce Produced water inadvertently routed overboard. UKCS/1050 08-Nov 53-15N: 02-58E Oil Diesel 5.5 tonnes Vulcan Insecure valve in crane diesel filling line. UKCS/1011 08-Nov 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Heating Medium 0.08 litres Tartan Alpha Leaking pump seal on Hot Oil System. UKCS/1490 10-Nov 56-42N: 02-20E Oil Crude Nk Judy Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1491 10-Nov 60-51N: 01-28E Oil Crude Nk Ninian Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1012 14-Nov 59-34N: 01-39E Oil Crude Nk Global Producer Produced water overboard dump line. UKCS/1013 15-Nov 58-19N: 00-42E Oil Crude Nk North Sea Producer Produced water overboard contaminated. UKCS/1014 16-Nov 57-02N: 01-57E Other Oil-based mud 40 litres Maersk Endurer Seawater contaminated with oil-based mud. UKCS/1015 16-Nov 60-54N: 01-25E Oil Crude 15 litres Ninian Northern Test Separator instrument malfunction. UKCS/1016 17-Nov 57-01N: 01-50E Oil Lubrication 1.4 litres Elgin PUQ Oil decanted into hazardous open drain gulley. UKCS/1497 19-Nov 59-45N: 01-40E Oil Hydraulic 40 litres Bruce Leakage on A2 test diverter compression fitting. UKCS/1569 20-Nov 57-11N: 01-00E Chemical Cooling medium 1.5 tonnes Gannet Alpha Leakage from recycle cooler plate pack. UKCS/1498 20-Nov 61-34N: 01-36E Oil Hydraulic 15 litres Penguins Production M Leaking coupling on Xmas tree. UKCS/1499 20-Nov 58-18N:01-46W Oil Crude 10 litres Captain Oil export pipework leak. UKCS/1020 23-Nov 59-33N: 01-24E Oil Hydraulic 6 litres GSF Arctic III Seal failure on ROV function arm. UKCS/1048 27-Nov 53-33N: 01-05E Oil Diesel 10 litres Pickerill Alpha Split bunkering hose. UKCS/1021 27-Nov 59-17N: 01-31E Oil Crude Nk BP Harding Malfunction of water injection drum separator. UKCS/1505 29-Nov 56-43N: 01-18E Oil Crude 10 litres Curlew Leaking seal on pump. UKCS/1022 29-Nov 59-22N: 01-34E Oil Crude 500 litres Gryphon Spillage from slop tank overflow. UKCS/1023 29-Nov 58-25N: 00-19W Oil Lubrication 70 litres Claymore Pinhole leak from seal. UKCS/1024 30-Nov 57-11N: 01-00E Oil Crude 350 litres Gannet Alpha Produced Water Separator System malfunction.
UKCS/1025 03-Dec 59-17N: 01-31E Oil Crude 100 litres BP Harding Malfunction Water Injection System. UKCS/1570 05-Dec 54-02N: 01-06E Chemical Triethylene glycol 6 tonnes Ravenspurn North Spillage caused by back pressure in sump tank. UKCS/1026 05-Dec 61-03N: 01-43E Oil Diesel 8 litres Brent Bravo Failure of automatic filling valve. UKCS/1027 06-Dec 61-14N: 01-09E Oil Hydraulic 80 litres North Cormorant Pinhole leak on hydraulic return line. *UKCS/1571 07-Dec 58-18N: 01-46E Chemical Brine 150 tonnes Douglas Bunkering line parted. UKCS/1029 07-Dec 58-19N: 00-42E Oil Crude Nk North Sea Producer Produced water overboard from slops tanks. UKCS/1030 07-Dec 61-03N: 01-43E Oil Base oil 10 litres Brent Bravo Hose failure during transfer. UKCS/1513 08-Dec 53-28N: 01-44E Oil Diesel 1.75 tonnes Sole Pit Tank overflow caused by valve failure. *UKCS/1572 09-Dec 60-51N; 01-28E Chemical Water injection 16 kg Ninian Central Leak in pipeline. UKCS/1031 10-Dec 56-27N: 02-17E Other Oil-based mud 30 litres Clyde Spillage from U tube during drilling operations. UKCS/1034 12-Dec 61-14N: 01-09E Oil Crude 0.0015 litres North Cormorant Residue of oil from deck drains. UKCS/1035 12-Dec 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Crude Nk Tartan Alpha Malfunction in separator. *UKCS/1573 15-Dec 59-17N: 01-31E Chemical Eriton 818 2 litres Harding Seal seepage in severe weather. UKCS 1518 16-Dec 57-28N: 00-31E Oil Crude 140 litres Kittiwake Coupling connection failure. UKCS/1519 16-Dec 60-38N: 01-39E Oil Light 0.2 litres Dunbar Oily water Caisson pump failure. UKCS/1036 16-Dec 58-14N: 01-07E Oil Crude 480 litres Balmoral Traced to sub-sea leakage. *UKCS/1574 17-Dec 54-16N: 02-19E Chemical BOP fluid 1.25 tonnes Ensco 80 Ruptured line during testing operations. UKCS/1037 18-Dec 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Crude Nk Brae Bravo Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1039 19-Dec 56-27N: 02-17E Oil Crude Nk Clyde Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1522 22-Dec 60-38N: 01-39E Oil Light 359 litres Dunbar Leaking oily water caisson. *UKCS/1575 23-Dec 53-12N: 02-29E Chemical M.E.G. 500 litres North West Bell Failure of wing dump valve. UKCS/1041 24-Dec 60-21N: 04-04W Oil Crude 150 litres Schiehallion Produced Water System malfunction. UKCS/1042 26-Dec 58-23N: 00-04E Oil Heating medium 0.08 litres Tartan Alpha Failure of hot oil system pump seal. UKCS/1525 29-Dec 59-17N: 01-31E Oil Hydraulic 1.2 litres Harding Leakage from wellhead. UKCS/1527 30-Dec 58-23N: 00-04E Oil Waste 360 litres Tartan Alpha Source and cause unknown. UKCS/1043 30-Dec 57-09N: 02-17E Oil Hydraulic 8.5 litres Sedco 711 Blown gasket on ROV thruster motor. UKCS/1044 31-Dec 61-06N: 01-04E Oil Diesel 86 litres Cormorant Alpha Pin hole leak in bunkering line.
12: UKCS VESSEL DISCHARGES (* Incident not identified by a POLREP). Reference Date Location Category Type Amount Source Comments UKCS/587 08-Jan 61-05N: 01-43E Oil Nk Nk Unidentified vessel Reported by Brent Charlie installation. UKCS/1215 21-Feb 58-04N: 01-05E Oil Crude 100 litres Mtanker Navion Anglia Leakage during disconnection operation. UKCS/588 25-Feb 61-05N: 01-43E Oil Crude Nk Unidentified vessel Reported by Brent Charlie installation. UKCS/157 11-Mar 57-05N: 00-54E Oil Crude 1.2 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Bittern/Guillemot installations. UKCS/1263 04-Apr 58-24N: 00-07E Oil Crude 71 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Highlander installation. UKCS/1266 07-Apr 59-22N: 01-34E Oil Nk Nk Unidentified vessel Reported by Gryphon installation. UKCS/275 20-Apr 61-16N: 01-36E Oil Crude 0.1 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Atlantic 405. UKCS/276 20-Apr 60-52N: 01-43E Oil Crude 0.1 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Atlantic 405. *UKCS/1576 28-Apr 57-54N: 00-02E Oil Crude 1.35 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Buchan Alpha Installation. UKCS/313 21-May 58-43N: 01-24E Oil Fuel 2.45 tonnes Unidentified vessel Slick 7 km x 0.25 km reported by Miller installation. UKCS/321 26-May 59-33N: 01-39E Oil Crude 6 litres Unidentified vessel Brown sheen over 1200 m2. *UKCS/1321 31-May 58-07N: 01-25W Oil Nk 0.5 litres Unidentified vessel Sheen reported by Ross installation. UKCS/340 09-Jun 61-17N: 01-36E Oil Crude 750 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Dunlin Alpha installation. UKCS/342 09-Jun 56-44N: 02-25E Oil Crude 190 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Atlantic 405. UKCS/439 20-Jul 58-03N: 01-05E Oil Crude Nk Unidentified vessel Reported by Alba Northern installation. *UKCS/1381 22-Jul 58-22N: 00-04E Oil Diesel 10 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Tartan installation. UKCS/462 04-Aug 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Crude 1.5 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Brae Bravo installation. UKCS/478 10-Aug 58-28N: 00-15E Oil Nk 360 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Piper Bravo installation. UKCS/484 12-Aug 58-48N: 01-22E Oil Nk 0.8 litres Unidentified vessel Reported by Brae Bravo installation. UKCS/490 14-Aug 58-17N: 01-11E Oil Diesel 9.1 tonnes Mfv Elhanan T Vessel sank. UKCS/511 29-Aug 61-14N: 01-09E Oil Diesel 1 litre Unidentified vessel Reported by North Cormorant installation. *UKCS/1439 13-Sep 56-42N: 02-20E Oil Lubrication Nk Unidentified vessel Leaking drum reported by Judy installation. *UKCS/1521 20-Dec 57-15N: 00-48E Oil Fuel Nk Unidentified vessel Reported by Guillemot/Bittern installation.
APPENDIX TWO
SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE AND ACCOMPANYING GUIDELINES
ACOPS ANNUAL SURVEY OF VESSEL/OFFSHORE SOURCED MARINE POLLUTION
GUIDELINES TO AID COMPLETION OF THE SURVEY FORM
The revised survey form introduced in 2000 is very similar to the previous version. The new version, however, requests information on incidents involving a wider range of pollutants including mineral oil (MARPOL I), noxious liquid substances (MARPOL II) and garbage (MARPOL V).
Reports are requested for pollution incidents attributed only to discharges, or suspected discharges, from vessels and offshore installations operating within the UK Pollution Control Zone, harbour waters and national waters. Information is no longer requested for pollution incidents attributed to land-based sources such as industrial premises, sewers and outfalls.
The revised survey form is, therefore, shorter and easier to complete than the old version. Annual returns can be made either by E-mail or by post. If using E-mail please click on the boxes provided and insert other information in the spaces provided. The E-Mail and postal versions of the survey form can be downloaded from the ACOPS website at http://www.acops.org (under UK surveys on the main menu). A summary of the survey results for last year is also provided. Please complete a separate form for each incident. Thank you for your continued support in providing this important information.
Question Guideline 1 Please insert name of reporting organisation. If you have nothing to report please tick the no pollution to report box, add respondent details (Question 17) and return the questionnaire to the address shown.
2 Identify the category of vessel/offshore sourced pollution from the options given (tick appropriate box). Note that in the case of garbage, an incident report is requested only in circumstances involving an illegal or accidental discharge from a specific vessel/offshore installation. An incident report is not required following observations of litter at sea or on beaches from an unknown source.
3 Insert dates of the beginning and end of the incident.
4 Please identify one or more zones affected by the pollution (tick appropriate box). The shoreward boundary of the open sea zone is defined as 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) from nearest land.
5 State how long the pollution remained in days or weeks (insert values).
6 Identify the location of the incident using geo-coordinates, national grid reference, place name or other suitable method (insert details).
7 If known, insert the estimated volume of pollution in litres, tonnes or cubic metres. Please state any other units of volume used. 8 Please indicate the overall distance in km, or state the names of settlements at the extremities, of the affected stretch of coastline.
9 Indicate whether a vessel or offshore installation was identified as a source of pollution or simply suspected on the basis of available evidence (tick most appropriate box from the options given). Note that incidents attributed to land-based sources of pollution are no longer included in this survey.
10 Please identify the most appropriate category which indicates the scale of pollution at sea or deposited on the shoreline (tick appropriate boxes).
11 If known, identify the type of vessel or offshore installation causing the pollution (tick one of the boxes to select the appropriate response to the options given).
12 Please state the name of the vessel/offshore installation, whether UK or foreign registered and operating company if known (insert details in the spaces provided).
13 Identify the category and type of pollution from the options given (tick the appropriate box or insert relevant details in the spaces provided).
14 Indicate whether a partial or complete clean-up operation was undertaken (Circle appropriate option).
15 Please add details of any legal proceedings initiated against alleged offenders including fines and penalties (identify options as indicated and insert other information). Any further information not available at the time of reporting will be requested in a separate questionnaire.
16 Add any further relevant details as indicated (by inserting information in the space provided or on a separate sheet). Please include any comments on how the questionnaire might be improved.
17 Please provide the background details requested including your E-mail address which can be used in future surveys.
Trevor Dixon Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea 11 Dartmouth Street London SW1H 9BN Tel: (0207) 799 3033 E-Mail: [email protected]
APPENDIX THREE
PLATES 1 - 3
Plates 1 & 2. Examples of 71 aluminium canisters recovered on beaches in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight during March 2003 (4-SE/714) (Courtesy Isle of Wight Council).