Forth Oil Transfer Company 'Misleads' Parliament on Oil Spill Record
Wed., February 21, 2007. 11:48.
The company behind the controversial oil transfer project in the Firth of Forth has been exposed for failing to report a major oil spill, claiming it had an 'excellent' record.
Burning Earth
The company planning to carry out ship to ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth was responsible for spilling around 35,000 gallons of oil in the Gulf of Mexico - but failed to disclose the information when providing official evidence to Parliament. In written evidence to parliament the company, SPT Marine, claimed an "excellent" record on ship to ship oil transfers by only referring to incidents dated AFTER a shocking oil spill in 1995. (1, 2)
Greens have uncovered the incident, for which the US and the Texas Natural Resource Trustees sought 1.6 million US dollars in compensation, and are now calling Parliament to declare the written evidence inadmissible and to make a statement on whether or not the company has misled Parliament. They have also asked the First Minister to urgently intervene to stop the Forth project going ahead following McConnell's assurance to the Chamber last week that the decision would be made based on a "scientific basis". (3)
Ministers have failed to make simple amendments to existing legislation to ensure that they, and not Forth Ports plc, make the final decision on the Forth proposals. Jack McConnell is now being urged “to move swiftly to ensure that Scotland's environment is protected.”
Mark Ruskell MSP, Green Speaker on the Environment, said:
"I'm shocked and disappointed that this company appears to have tried to hoodwink the Parliament. Not only did they fail to show up at the committee to give verbal evidence, they provided misleading written evidence that hid the fact that the company has been involved in a devastating oil transfer spillage in the US.
"This new revelation underlines the fact that the Firth of Forth is being exploited by a clique of unaccountable, self-regulating corporations while Labour and LibDem Ministers sit on their hands. The Environment Committee must now seek a full explanation from SPT Marine as to its conduct and selective provision of information, as well as pointing out to Ministers why there is an even greater need to strip Forth Ports of its decision-making power in the light of a blatant conflict of interest."
Though it is now over 10 years since the incident, Greens argue that SPT Marine's failure to disclose this key information shows the company is running scared and that their claim to an "excellent" record is misleading.
Notes
1. Tanker Collision Nets Big $$. Source: Environmental Insider News Publication Date: 12/14/1999 COPYRIGHT 1999 Environmental Insider News “Back on September 5, 1995, two Norwegian tankers, the Berge Banker and the Skaubay, owned and operated by Bulk Transport LTD of Bermuda and SPT Marine Inc., respectively, collided in the Gulf of Mexico while preparing to transfer fuel oil, causing a discharge of about 845 barrels of Bunker C fuel oil. Wind, ocean, and tidal currents caused the oil to be deposited as tar balls and tar mats on publicly owned beaches of Matagorda, Mustang, and Padre Islands, which are part of the Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge, Mustang Island State Park, Matagorda Island State Park, and Padre Island National Seashore, respectively.”
2. During the consideration of Petitions PE956 and PE982 (Ship to ship transfer of oil in the Firth of Forth), SPT Marine Services provided a letter which states:
"SPT Marine Services (formally Melbourne Marine Services) specialise in ship to ship transfer (STS) operations of oil and gas. The company has offices in Sunderland and Houston with several bases throughout the world. To date we have transferred successfully in excess of 6 Billion Barrels of oil. Last year alone we carried out more than 900 ship to ship operations, transferring in excess of 1 million Barrels of oil a day every day. Type of cargo transferred include, Crude Oil, Fuel Oil, Gas Oil, Gasoiline, Jet A1, Naptha, LGP just to name a few. The operations carried have been undertaken in waters off the UK, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, West Africa, US Gulf, US West Coast and Caribbean. In the last 10 years whilst carrying out these transfers there have been 3 incidents resulting in approximately 4 Barrels of oil being spilt. This excellent record reflects not only the expertise and experience of our systems, procedures and staff but also the inherent safe nature of STS."
See p16 of http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/environment/papers-07/rap07-06.pdf
3. Extract from letter from Mark Ruskell MSP to First Minister Jack McConnell:
“It is now clear from this new information that this sort of incident could happen in the Firth of Forth with similar serious consequences. I am concerned that the ship to ship transfer of oil is about to proceed in one of Scotland's most environmentally sensitive areas, the Firth of Forth, and that Ministers are standing by and watching this happen. I ask you now to intervene as First Minister and to move swiftly to ensure that Scotland's environment is protected.”
Mr Ruskell has also written to Maureen Macmillan, convener of the Environment and Rural Development Committee, asking her to investigate to establish if SPT Marine has misled Parliament.
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.