Officials say nasty November weather is preventing spill responders from containing an estimated 250 cubic metres of oil that leaked into the sea Friday off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Husky Energy says the spill happened after the production, storage and offloading vessel SeaRose FPSO “experienced a loss of pressure” in an oil flowline to the South White Rose Drill Centre, about 350 kilometres southeast of St. John’s, N.L.
In an email, Husky Energy spokeswoman Colleen McConnell says an aerial surveillance flight on Friday identified two oil sheens south of the vessel, and a follow up flight is planned for today.
She says sea states are preventing containment and recovery operations, but she says two tracker buoys were deployed on Firday and the company’s spill modelling indicates there is no probability of the spill reaching land.
McConnell says Husky Energy continues to monitor the situation and will be sending additional support vessels today.
The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Patroleum Board says it has sought advice from Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard.