ID :
87805
Wed, 11/04/2009 - 10:13
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/87805
The shortlink copeid
AUSTRALIA LIMITS MONTARAL OIL SPILL'S EFFECTS
Jakarta, Nov 3 (ANTARA) - The Australian government is focused on limiting the effects of the oil spill from the Montara Wellhead and has been keeping Indonesian authorities informed.
According to an Australian embassy media release on Tuesday, the incident occurred on August 21, 2009 and light crude oil has been leaking into the Timor Sea since that date.
The Australian Embassy in Jakarta notified Indonesia as soon as possible after satellite imagery showed on September 1, 2009 that small patches of weathered oil had crossed into Indonesia`s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
On 28 October 2009, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett, spoke to the Indonesian State Minister for the Environment, Gusti Muhammed Hatta, regarding the Montara oil spill.
The priority is to minimize the impact of the spill on the environment.
The vast majority of the oil is located in Australian waters in an area close to the Montara wellhead.
A major clean-up exercise is occurring applying dispersants and conducting containment and recovery operations using booms and skimmers.
Australia has been monitoring the movement of patches of weathered oil and sheen through regular daily overflights, most recently on Tuesday 27 October.
These overflights have indicated that isolated patches of weathered oil and sheen have remained within Indonesia`s EEZ.
The closest patch of weathered oil was observed on September 21 some 94 kilometers south-east of Roti Island.
Overflights indicate primarily sheen within the Indonesian EEZ, with occasional small patches of weathered oil.
The main part of the oil spill is now more than 248 kilometers from the Indonesian coastline.
The sheen is of a silver color in appearance and is typically around 0.0001 mm in thickness.
It poses no environmental hazard for shorelines but can be of concern to bird-life.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) assesses that the type and amount of oil that has been observed in Indonesia`s EEZ poses no significant threat to the marine environment.
"Australia continues to monitor the situation and keep Indonesia closely informed of the movement of oil and sheen, and of our extensive response efforts," it said.
AMSA further said "We will coordinate closely with Indonesian authorities about our monitoring efforts."
As part of the ongoing response to the oil spill, two response vessels entered Indonesia`s EEZ on September 23, 2009 to conduct containment and recovery operations, using a boom and oil spill skimmer, on heavier patches of oil that had been sighted by aircraft.
This effort was supported by overflying aircraft to direct the vessels to the heavier patches of oil. Australia notified Indonesia of the vessels` presence and their activities in Indonesia`s EEZ.
These operations were completed within several days and the vessels have since returned to Australia`s EEZ and are operating in the vicinity of the platform.
***4***
According to an Australian embassy media release on Tuesday, the incident occurred on August 21, 2009 and light crude oil has been leaking into the Timor Sea since that date.
The Australian Embassy in Jakarta notified Indonesia as soon as possible after satellite imagery showed on September 1, 2009 that small patches of weathered oil had crossed into Indonesia`s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
On 28 October 2009, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett, spoke to the Indonesian State Minister for the Environment, Gusti Muhammed Hatta, regarding the Montara oil spill.
The priority is to minimize the impact of the spill on the environment.
The vast majority of the oil is located in Australian waters in an area close to the Montara wellhead.
A major clean-up exercise is occurring applying dispersants and conducting containment and recovery operations using booms and skimmers.
Australia has been monitoring the movement of patches of weathered oil and sheen through regular daily overflights, most recently on Tuesday 27 October.
These overflights have indicated that isolated patches of weathered oil and sheen have remained within Indonesia`s EEZ.
The closest patch of weathered oil was observed on September 21 some 94 kilometers south-east of Roti Island.
Overflights indicate primarily sheen within the Indonesian EEZ, with occasional small patches of weathered oil.
The main part of the oil spill is now more than 248 kilometers from the Indonesian coastline.
The sheen is of a silver color in appearance and is typically around 0.0001 mm in thickness.
It poses no environmental hazard for shorelines but can be of concern to bird-life.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) assesses that the type and amount of oil that has been observed in Indonesia`s EEZ poses no significant threat to the marine environment.
"Australia continues to monitor the situation and keep Indonesia closely informed of the movement of oil and sheen, and of our extensive response efforts," it said.
AMSA further said "We will coordinate closely with Indonesian authorities about our monitoring efforts."
As part of the ongoing response to the oil spill, two response vessels entered Indonesia`s EEZ on September 23, 2009 to conduct containment and recovery operations, using a boom and oil spill skimmer, on heavier patches of oil that had been sighted by aircraft.
This effort was supported by overflying aircraft to direct the vessels to the heavier patches of oil. Australia notified Indonesia of the vessels` presence and their activities in Indonesia`s EEZ.
These operations were completed within several days and the vessels have since returned to Australia`s EEZ and are operating in the vicinity of the platform.
***4***
