Huge Oil Spill near Australia

Montara platform seen from the air on September 12, 2009. Oil slicks around platform are clearly visible; the white haze is a spray of water vapor, natural gas, and natural gas condensate from the uncontrolled well. Photo courtesy of Environs Kimberley.

There is a growing environmental catastrophe ongoing in the Timor Sea off Australia.  Oil and gas condensate has been spilling into the sea since August 21st, when a blowout occurred on the West Atlas mobile platform in the Montara oil field.  The blowout forced the evacuation of all 69 workers on the platform, and has challenged response agencies in cleaning-up the resulting massive oil slick.  The leaking well head is owned by Thailand’s national petroleum exploration company, PTT Exploration and Production.

The particular problem with this spill is that the release can not be controlled or stopped until a relief well can be drilled nearly 1.6 miles deep, and then heavy mud pumped into the seabed.  Equipment required to drill the relief well was not readily available and had to be shipped in from Singapore, taking nearly 2 weeks.  The rescue platform arrived on-scene on 11 September, however the blowout has not been stopped to this date.

In the meantime, response crews have been employing chemical dispersant from aircraft and ships, and some recovery and containment operations have been initiated, although the Australia Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) seems to be indicating that they prefer to disperse the existing sheen present.  Response crews have also been employing satellite tracking buoys and satellite imagery to track the spill sheen.

Environmentalists and residents are growing increasingly worried at the increasing size of the spill, and the slow response to containing and cleaning-up the oil.  Some are beginning to call it one of Australia’s worst oil spills in history.

The offshore support vessel Lady Gerda undertaking dispersant spray operations near the Montara well head platform on 24 September, 2009 (AMSA)

Satellite Imagery of the West Atlas Oil Spill (AMSA)

Photos from the evacuation:

For More:

New York Times – As Oil Enriches Australia, Spill Is Seen as a Warning

Perth Now – Finally, help arrives at stricken West Atlas oil rig

Skytruth Blog – Satellite shots  and Images