Members of the public have been urged to avoid using the water and beaches within Poole Harbour in Dorset after an oil leak led to a major incident being declared.
Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC), which regulates activities in the harbour, said a leak occurred at a pipeline operated by gas company Perenco, under Owers Bay, on Sunday.
Perenco, the UK’s largest onshore oil field, said a “small” amount of reservoir fluid (consisting of 85 percent water and 15 percent oil) escaped from its pipeline and that, as of late on Sunday night, some of it had already been recovered.
PHC said: “Early indicators are that the surface slick is already dispersing.”…