Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




ENERGY TECH
China suspends ConocoPhillips operations
by Staff Writers
Shanghai, China (UPI) Jul 13, 2011


disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

China's ocean authority has ordered ConocoPhillips China to immediately suspend operations in its Bohai Bay concessions in the aftermath of two oil spills.

The suspension order involves two ConocoPhillips offshore platforms in the Penglai oilfield in Bohai Bay, as Chinese authorities remain concerned about the possibility of additional leaks.

China's State Oceanic Administration released a statement to the effect that the measures undertaken by ConocoPhillips China were primarily of a temporary and remedial nature. However, the administration said procedures instituted by COPC had failed to eliminate the possibility of new leaks.

Oil leaks were first detected in early June in COPC's B and C platforms in the Bohai Bay Penglai 19-3 oilfield concessions, the Shanghai Daily reported Wednesday.

The State Oceanic Administration announced that the oil leaks in the Penglai 19-3 Bohai Bay oilfield, operated by COPC under an arrangement with China's largest offshore oil producer China National Offshore Oil Corporation had yet to be brought under full control.

Remote sensing satellites and inspectors' visits had determined that oil had continued to leak for days from around platforms B and C after the breach was first uncovered, the State Oceanic Administration said. Investigators reportedly found oil sheens around the two platforms as well as indications that oil leaks could recur around platform B.

The State Oceanic Administration maintained that COPC was responsible for the leaks, which seriously polluted 340 square miles of Bohai Bay surface waters, sending water quality ratings in the area plummeting.

The administration released a statement saying, "Operations aren't permitted to resume until oil spill risks are fully eliminated."

"The majority of seepage has been stopped," ConocoPhillips said its own release. "A containment device was designed and constructed and put in place as a precaution should the seep occur from the main source again."

Under a production-sharing contract with ConocoPhillips, CNOOC holds a 51 percent share in the Bohai Bay offshore development. Prior to the fields being closed CNOOC said that its production from the two platforms totaled 22,000 barrels per day.

ConocoPhillips also detailed its response to that event, stating that it had mobilized an extensive amount of cleanup equipment, including 33 vessels to support pollution control efforts.

ConocoPhillips estimates that 1,500-2,000 barrels of oil were dispersed into the sea the accident but notes no oil sheen as has reached the shoreline and there have been no injuries to personnel.

.


Related Links
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








ENERGY TECH
China orders US oil giant to halt rigs after spill
Beijing (AFP) July 13, 2011
China said Wednesday it had ordered US oil giant ConocoPhillips to immediately stop operations at several rigs in an area off the nation's eastern coast polluted by a huge slick. The 840-square-kilometre (336-square-mile) slick emanating from the oil field in Bohai Bay - which ConocoPhillips operates with China's state-run oil giant CNOOC - has caused huge anger amid allegations of a cover ... read more


ENERGY TECH
Twin Artemis Probes To Study Moon In 3D

Marshall Center's Bassler Leads NASA Robotic Lander Work

NASA puts space probe into lunar orbit

ARTEMIS Spacecraft Prepare for Lunar Orbit

ENERGY TECH
Two Possible Sites for Next Mars Rover

Scientists uncover evidence of a wet Martian past in desert

NASA Research Offers New Prospect Of Water On Mars

New Animation Depicts Next Mars Rover in Action

ENERGY TECH
AIA Concerned by NASA, NOAA Cuts

Appropriations Committee Approves the Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill

NASA Releases Book About Psychology of Human Spaceflight

Long, cramped road trips ahead for US astronauts

ENERGY TECH
China launches new data relay satellite

Time Enough for Tiangong

China launches experimental satellite

China to launch an experimental satellite in coming days

ENERGY TECH
NASA Selects Nonprofit to Manage Space Station National Lab Research

Astronauts Complete Spacewalk; Cargo Transfers Begin

Atlantis docks at space station for last time

New Research and Technology Experiments Headed to the International Space Station on STS-135/ULF7

ENERGY TECH
SpaceX Names Mark Bitterman Senior Vice President of Government Affairs

Globalstar Satellites Now Scheduled for Launch on July 13th

Arianespace uses Soyuz to loft six Globalstars to orbit from Baikonur

Final Soyuz launcher integration is underway for Arianespace Globalstar mission from Kazakhstan

ENERGY TECH
Ten new distant planets detected

Microlensing Finds a Rocky Planet

A golden age of exoplanet discovery

CoRoT's new detections highlight diversity of exoplanets

ENERGY TECH
China almost doubles rare earth export quota

Computer learns language by playing games

World's strongest magnet unveiled

Chinese man makes iPad look-a-like from scratch




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement