Poole Harbour oil spill: Perenco UK pledges no repeat

A pipeline 3m underwater at Shotover Moor leaked in March 2023

The oil company responsible for a pipeline leak in Poole Harbour has said it has taken steps to ensure a similar incident cannot happen again.

About 200 barrels of oily water escaped from a pipeline at Wytch Farm oil field into Poole Harbour on 26 March 2023.

Operator Perenco UK said the cause was microbial corrosion in a buried pipeline and the recovery phase had been "successfully concluded".

Conservationists have called for an end to oil extraction at the site.

Poole Harbour is the largest natural harbour in Europe and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its ecological importance.

Following the spill, the area had to be closed to the public, with swimmers, beachgoers, anglers and sailors urged to stay away.

In a statement released to mark the first anniversary of the incident, Perenco UK - which declined to be interviewed by the BBC - said its infrastructure underwent "regular inspections".

"However there were very specific conditions in the pipeline that led to a faster and unexpected rate of corrosion," it said.

Perenco said the affected pipeline remains out of service with measures being taken to protect other pipes against corrosion including the insertion of internal liners.

It said the cause of the leak of reservoir fluid, made up of 85% water and 15% oil, was "enhanced internal microbial corrosion in a buried pipeline".

Floating barriers were put in place following the leak of reservoir fluid

The Wytch Farm oil field and processing facility produces about 14,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Perenco has given the BBC the first access to the site since the spill to see the completed recovery work ahead of the first anniversary.

Franck Dy, Perenco UK's Wytch Farm general manager, said: "After a thorough independent review into the cause of the leak… clear measures have been taken to ensure that this will not happen again.

"I would like to reiterate that we are sorry for the distress caused a year ago."

The Environment Agency said it would decide on possible enforcement action after investigation work concludes.

Pete Miles, from Dorset Oysters, said the impact of the spill was hard to quantify

Shellfish harvesting in the harbour was suspended for a month following the leak.

Pete Miles, from Poole based Dorset Oysters, said he had been compensated by Perenco for losses but said the impact was hard to quantify.

He said: "We were talking to new customers before the oil spill who went quiet on us, it probably scared them off a little bit."

The clean-up operation continued following the spill

A slick about 400m (1,300ft) long and 1m (3ft) deep landed on the shoreline at the RSPB's Arne reserve, about a mile along the coast from Wytch Farm.

In total across the harbour there were reports of 30 oiled birds, though there were not believed to have been any fatalities.

Peter Robertson, senior RSPB site manager, said: "This is one of Europe's most important wildlife spots, to have oil extraction in the middle of it you have to have absolute safeguards in place.

"We know that the infrastructure is old. We would take some reassuring to know that there isn't going to be a repeat."

In its latest update the Recovery Coordination Group, whose members include Poole Harbour Commissioners and Natural England, said that due to the "quick action of all partners" there had been no reports of related oil outside of the contaminated area in Ower Bay since 5 April 2023.

A localised clean-up around the release site, which involved controlled scraping and removal of sediment and organic matter, continued until January.

The group said monitoring to assess the recovery of the habitat would be ongoing.

Martin Price, from East Dorset Friends of the Earth, said: "Our message to Perenco is that you should be shutting this field down as soon as possible. The potential risks are huge."

Perenco UK said its goal was "zero harm" to the environment.

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