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SEPA update 4 January: Finnart Ocean Terminal pipeline , Argyll and Bute

Date published: 04 January 2024

Environmental incident

SEPA continues to support the multi-agency response following a small quantity of light crude oil surfacing from an underground pipeline in the area local to Finnart Ocean Terminal, Argyll and Bute.

Shona McConnell, SEPA Senior Manager – Environmental Performance, said:

“Petroineos has containment and clean-up operations in place and SEPA officers attended the site yesterday (Wednesday 3 January 2024) to carry out visual inspections of the water environment and assess the effectiveness of the mitigations. No oil was observed in the Fruin Water below the upstream containment infrastructure near Strone House.

“Staff from our Ecology and Chemistry teams will be attending the site again today to evaluate how containment is performing following rain overnight and carry out environmental sampling if required.

“We will continue to work closely with partners, including Argyll and Bute Council, to monitor the response and clean up for as long as needed. Our staff will continue to attend site as required.

“We have requested Petroineos share their remediation and monitoring plans with us at the earliest opportunity, these will be carefully reviewed to ensure they are appropriate. The operator will be required to submit an incident report in due course and officers will follow up any regulatory actions as appropriate.”