Timor Sea oil spill has no major impact: Garrett

Aleisha Preedy, WA Today 2 Oct 09;

The federal government has offered to work with Indonesian authorities in monitoring the oil leak from the West Atlas rig in the Timor Sea, while continuing to say it has had no "significant" impact on wildlife.

Environment Minister Peter Garrett on Friday again defended the government's measures following the spill at PTTEP Australia's Montara well-head platform, more than 200km off the Kimberley coast, in August.

Mr Garrett said government monitoring over the six weeks since the leak showed it had caused "no significant impacts on the wildlife" and local environment.

But the Jakarta Post newspaper reported on Thursday that residents of coastal areas in West Timor claimed to have experienced nausea and skin irritation after eating dead fish they found along the beach.

Indonesia said this week it had sent a team of officials to monitor Australia's response to the massive leak, amid fears it could harm Indonesia's marine life.

Mr Garrett said the government was in contact with Indonesia and would provide assistance if required.

"Of course we will have appropriate communication with relevant authorities in Indonesia about the management of the slick," Mr Garrett said.

"My expectation is the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and the company involved and officers involved not only in the surveillance but also in the treatment of the slick, will continue to do that work.

"And they'll work closely with Indonesian authorities should that be required."

Meanwhile, the company responsible for the leak, PTTEP Australasia, released a statement on Friday saying it is on track to plug the leak within about a week.

It said drilling of an 8.5 inch (21.6cm) relief well would start on Saturday to allow heavy mud to be pumped into the leak and stem the flow of oil, gas and water.

The operation involves intersecting the original well 2.6 kilometres under the seabed.

The West Triton rig, which was towed from Singapore by PTTEP immediately after the spill to assist in the operation, took three weeks to reach the site.

The federal government has said PTTEP will be required to meet all the costs of monitoring the short and long-term effects of the spill.

The company said it has agreed to meet AMSA's costs for the spill, including all aerial and surface oil dispersal and recovery.

A spokesman said it is in discussions with Mr Garrett's department on a comprehensive immediate and long-term environmental monitoring program, including covering the costs of that operation.

About 400 barrels of oil a day have been estimated to be spilling into the sea since the leak triggered an emergency evacuation of 69 workers on the rig on August 21.

But the company says this rate of flow may have lessened in recent weeks.