AUSSIES CAN’T STOP THEIR OIL SPILL

Call for action as oil spill gushes
Debbie Guest, October 19, 2009 (The Australian)

"A fourth attempt to plug the massive oil spill off the Kimberley coast will be made this week after the latest attempt failed, leaving environmentalists calling for urgent government intervention.

"The disaster has now entered its ninth week after the failure at the weekend to plug the spill, which has seen oil spew into the Timor Sea at an estimated rate of up to 400 barrels a day."

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"…[T]he company responsible, PTTEP Australasia, said preparations were needed between each attempt…The company is trying to intercept a steel casing 25cm in diameter, located 2.6km below the seabed, to plug the leak…Once the leaking well has been intercepted, heavy mud will be pumped down into the well, displacing oil, gas and water and stopping the flow.

"Chris Smyth, healthy oceans campaigner for the Australian Conservation Foundation, said it was a case of "three strikes you're out" and the government needed to intervene…Environs Kimberley director Martin Pritchard said the spill had become an embarrassment for the oil and gas sector and the Rudd government…"

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"Greens senator Rachel Siewert said it was no surprise the third attempt had failed because of the difficulty involved in plugging the leak…She said if the next attempt failed, the government would need to become more involved to find a solution.

"A spokesman for Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said more detail on the inquiry announced into the spill would be revealed…A spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said AMSA was continuing to clean up the spill by using chemical dispersants in the area."