By Theodora Filis Royal Dutch Shell announced Monday, August 15, that nearly 54,600 gallons of oil have spilled into the North Sea from an oil rig off Scotland’s eastern coast. The spill occurred at the Gannet Alpha oil rig which is operated by Shell and co-owned by both Shell and Esso, a subsidiary of US oil firm Exxon Mobil. The technical director of Shell’s European exploration and production activities, Glen Cayley, called the spill “significant.” However, Cayley believes it is unlikely that the spill will reach the shore. The British government backs Shell’s predictions that the oil will not spread to land. In a weekend statement, Shell admitted the spill covered an area 19 miles wide by 2.7 miles long. The main leak, found last Wednesday, is under control, but on Tuesday Shell revealed there is a second leak from a relief valve on the Gannet Alpha platform, 112 miles off the coast of Aberdeen. The spill comes weeks after the release of a United Nations report detailing decade
It is imperative we all pay attention to the impact of our collective and personal actions on the environment. During the next decade, our global community will be unable to deal effectively with the formidable environmental challenges posed by decades of environmental mismanagement. There are many environmental issues I write about in this blog, some will scare you, and it is my hope, these articles will give you a reason to question and search for answers.