China starts checking Conoco's oil-leak-sealed claim

China.org.cn, September 1, 2011

China's State Oceanic Administration?launched a site inspection on Thursday to check?the claim?of U.S. oil giant ConocoPhillips?that it has sealed off an oil spill that polluted north China's Bohai Bay.

Oil coats pooled water, sand and rocks on the shore at Changdao, a major fish farming island in Shandong province. A leak on an offshore oil platform was discovered in northern Bohai Bay on June 4; this photo was taken on July 8.?[China Daily]

ConocoPhillips China, owner of two oil spill platforms which polluted 5500 square kilometres of water in China's northern Bohai Bay, said it had already sealed off the leaks ahead of an Aug. 31 deadline.

The company?said it had submitted a report to the SOA, showing that the company has met the SOA's requirements to seal off the sources of the spill and eliminate the risk for further leaks.

SOA confirmed late Wednesday that it has received the report but said the administration still needs to conduct site inspection and expert evaluation to verify the company's conclusions, according to Xinhua.