Eco groups horrified as BP plans for huge ‘worst-case’ spill off Shetland

ENVIRONMENTAL pressure groups have called on oil giant BP to abandon plans to drill in the hostile waters west of Shetland because of the potential for an unprecedented ecological disaster in the area.

The call came after it was revealed that the oil company has drawn up contingency plans to tackle a massive spill – twice the magnitude of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico – as part of its proposals to begin drilling the North Uist well in a seabed block named after the Hebridean island but located 80 miles north-west of Shetland.

The “doomsday” scenario outlined by BP would lead to oil lapping ashore in both Shetland and Norway, threatening important seabird colonies and whales, dolphins and other marine species in the area.

The contingency plans for a worst-case leak at the North Uist site would involve 75,000 barrels of oil day spilling into the sea for 140 days – a total of 10.5 million barrels of oil, compared with the estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil which spewed into the Gulf of Mexico from the ruptured Deepwater Horizon well.

Dr Richard Dixon, the director of WWF Scotland, said the risks outlined by BP could make a major spill in the waters off Shetland “comfortably the world’s biggest pollution disaster”.

And he said: “BP should abandon its deep-water drilling plans. BP’s plan shows that our fears about the potential for a massive oil spill from deepwater drilling west of Shetland were fully justified. Any significant oil spill in this area could present a major threat to fishing, tourism and wildlife.

“The Shell spill from Gannet Alpha in August showed that even in easy waters, a long-experienced operator can make a total mess of dealing with an oil leak. We were very lucky it wasn’t bigger.

“New deep-water drilling is just not worth the risk, because we should be phasing out our use of oil not chasing ever more difficult sources.”

Joss Garman, a Greenpeace campaigner, said: “It would be madness for Energy Secretary Chris Huhne to approve this risky plan, when even BP admits it could lead to the worst oil spill in world history.

“A blow-out off Scotland’s fragile coastline would be an environmental catastrophe, because of its populations of seabirds, whales and dolphins.”

Tony King, the head of policy at the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “The Scottish Wildlife Trust is horrified that BP – in the full knowledge that its actions could lead to the world’s biggest ever oil spill, causing untold damage to wildlife here and in Norway – is planning to go ahead and drill in the deep waters of the north Atlantic.”

A BP spokesman said oil companies had a mandatory duty to model a “worst-case scenario” as part of their submissions for offshore developments.

He said: “Key lessons from the Deepwater Horizon incident have been incorporated into the overall planning for this well. BP has been successfully exploring west of Shetland since the 1970s and producing there safely for over 15 years.

“BP, like other operators, is required to model a worst-case scenario and describe how it would handle it. This is comprehensively addressed in the Oil Pollution and Emergency Plan.

“BP is working closely with the regulator to provide the necessary assurance regarding preparations for this well.”

BP is planning to start drilling at the North Uist site – in 1,290 metres of water – in January next year.