Lex Hall, The Australian 23 Oct 09;
HUGE amounts of marine life are under threat from an ongoing oil spill off the Western Australian coast, an environmental group says.
A survey by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says dolphins, migratory sea birds, sea snakes and marine turtles were found in abundance in the affected area, with many of these species swimming through toxic oil.
The West Atlas oil rig, operated by PTTEP Australasia, has been leaking oil for nine weeks. The last three attempts to stop the flow of sweet light crude oil, gas and condensate from the Montara wellhead, 250km northwest of the Truscott air base in Western Australia's Kimberley region, have all failed.
A team of engineers will make a fourth attempt to plug the leak today.
"We recorded hundreds of dolphins and sea birds in the oil slick area, as well as sea snakes and threatened hawksbill and flatback turtles," said WWF-Australia’s Conservation Director Gilly Llewellyn.
Dr Llewellyn said the findings contradicted comments by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, claiming the WWF survey found no evidence of harm to marine life.
"This is clearly a false representation of our results and appears to be an attempt to sweep this environmental disaster under the carpet," she said.
The expedition recorded 17 species of seabird, four species of cetacean and five marine reptiles including two species of marine turtle. At least eleven of the species were listed migratory and two – hawksbill and flatback turtles - are listed as threatened with extinction under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Dr Llewellyn said the spill could have a long-term effect on the ecosystem.
"We know that oil can be a slow and silent killer. Impacts from the Exxon Valdez disaster are still being seen 20 years later, so we can expect this environmental disaster will continue to unfold for years to come."
"The public needs to have all available information concerning what has been observed and reported, including findings from Ashmore Reef, and from the vessels and platforms in the area."
Three previous attempts to intercept the leak have failed, but PTTEP Australasia has released a statement saying the drilling team has come within centimetres of the target.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said he was confident everything possible is being done to stop the oil leak.
"The fact of the matter is, it's a fiendishly difficult exercise - a little bit like threading the needle - to try to get this oil spill stopped," he told ABC Radio.
"I very much hope that it will be on this occasion. I'm concerned about it, but we've put a lot of measures in place not only to monitor it, but to make sure that any wildlife that's affected is properly treated."
Earlier this week, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the cost of the clean-up had reached more than $5 million.
Expedition observes hundreds of marine creatures in oil slick
WWF 23 Oct 09;
The area affected by the Montara oil spill off the Kimberley coast contains a huge amount of marine life, including some of the most iconic and threatened species in the ocean, according to a marine wildlife survey conducted by WWF.
Dolphins, migratory sea birds and sea snakes were found in abundance in the area, in addition to marine turtles, and many of these species were recorded swimming through the toxic oil affected area during WWF's recent expedition to Timor Sea.
The survey report released today paints a picture of a rich marine community under threat of toxicity from the Montara oil leak which has been ongoing for more than two months.
"We recorded hundreds of dolphins and sea birds in the oil slick area, as well as sea snakes and threatened hawksbill and flatback turtles," said WWF-Australia’s Director of Conservation Dr Gilly Llewellyn, who led the team of ecologists.
"It's a stark contrast to comments made this week by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) that claimed our survey found no evidence of harm to marine life. This is clearly a false representation of our results and appears to be an attempt to sweep this environmental disaster under the carpet," Dr Llewellyn said.
Overall the expedition recorded 17 species of seabird, four species of cetacean and five marine reptiles including two species of marine turtle. At least eleven of the species were listed migratory and two - hawksbill and flatback turtles - are listed as threatened with extinction under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
On Wednesday, PTTEP, the company responsible for the oil slick, reported high levels of mortality among oil- affected seabirds.
"Clearly, wildlife is dying and hundreds if not thousands of dolphins, seabirds and sea-snakes are being exposed to toxic oil. The critical issue is the long term impact of this slick on a rich marine ecosystem, taking into consideration the magnitude, extent and duration of the event," said Dr Llewellyn.
"We know that oil can be a slow and silent killer. Impacts from the Exxon Valdez disaster are still being seen 20 years later, so we can expect this environmental disaster will continue to unfold for years to come."
WWF is aware of a second sea-based survey team that has been to the area and collected data on impacts on marine life and calls on all evidence and observations to be made publically available.
"The public needs to have all available information concerning what has been observed and reported, including findings from Ashmore Reef, and from the vessels and platforms in the area." Dr Llewellyn said.
"There is global concern about this oil spill and its effects on marine wildlife. More surveys are urgently needed as every piece of information helps build a more complete picture."
