Oil spill is killing wildlife: WWF

Seabirds are dying while hundreds of dolphins and marine life are also exposed to
the toxic Timor Sea oil spill, says a conservation group.
Oil began escaping on August 21 from a well at the Montara oilfield, more than 200km
off Western Australia's north-west coast.
Three attempts by the company which operates the oilfield, the Thai-based PTTEP
Australasia, to plug the leaking well with heavy mud have failed.
A fourth attempt was due to occur on Friday but will now take place over the
weekend, company officials said.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) conservation director Dr Gilly Llewellyn said dolphins,
migratory sea birds, sea snakes and marine turtles have been found in slick-affected
area during a recent survey.
The survey report, released on Friday, painted a grim picture of a rich marine
community under threat of toxicity from the Montara oil leak.
"We recorded hundreds of dolphins and sea birds in the oil slick area, as well as
sea snakes and threatened hawksbill and flatback turtles," Dr Llewellyn said.
The reality was in stark contrast to comments made this week by the Australian
Petroleum Production and Exploration Association "that the survey found no evidence
of harm to marine life."
The WWF expedition recorded 17 species of seabird, four species of cetacean and five
marine reptiles, including two marine turtle species.
On Wednesday, PTTEP reported 25 birds had been affected by oil and 16 of those birds
had died.
The company said there were no reports of any whales or dolphins in trouble and
tests undertaken on fish specimens to date showed no contamination by oil.
"Clearly, wildlife is dying and hundreds if not thousands of dolphins, seabirds and
sea-snakes are being exposed to toxic oil," Dr Llewellyn said.
"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."
Oil could be a slow and silent killer, Dr Llewellyn said.
"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,"
she said.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the company has described the reason for the delay of the
latest attempt to plug the well.
He said an overnight analysis of electro magnetic surveys after drilling activities
on Thursday meant a specialised guidance tool would have to be used to align the
drilling assembly in the well bore to intercept the leaking well.
"The drilling team on board the West Triton rig will deploy the alignment tool down
the intercept well to accurately guide the drilling assembly towards the target,"
the spokesman said.
"Following a successful intercept, heavy mud will be pumped from the West Triton
down into the relief well, displacing the oil, gas and water and stopping the flow."
The well casing being targeted is 25 centimetres in diameter.
Late on Thursday, PTTEP said a small piece of cement recovered near the site of the
leaking well showed repair crews could be close to finally stemming the spill.
PTTEP said the well was initially leaking at a flow rate of 400 barrels of oil a day.
But the Greens said data from Geoscience Australia, revealed in Senate estimates
hearings on Wednesday, revealed the flow could be about 2,000 barrels a day, plus
condensate.
Environs Kimberley director Martin Pritchard said the attempts to plug the leak were
farcical.
"This feels like Groundhog Day. It's turning into a farce and the big players need
to step in because this is an environmental disaster for marine life off the
Kimberley Coast," Mr Pritchard said.
The oil leak had tainted the whole oil and gas industry's reputation and had
occurred in an area teeming with marine life, Mr Pritchard said.
"It's not a good look for an industry that wants to continue drilling in this
environmentally sensitive area and we know ... that Australians are really concerned
about this oil leak and want places like the Kimberley coast protected from the
risks of the oil and gas sector," he said.