Extensive cleanup operation of oil slicks on Frøya began. The Norwegian Coastal Administration will report Equinor to the police. Over 170 people, five vessels and 20 drones are working to clean up the oil spill.
On New Year's Eve, a release from the Njord A platform sent an oil spill towards the coast.
In February, oil hit the coast of Trøndelag and Nordland in the form of lumps.
The Norwegian Environment Agency is concerned that this could threaten vulnerable bird and wildlife.
At the same time, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has considered reporting Equinor to the police. Several environmental organizations have already reported Equinor to the police.
We have between 170 and 180 people working every day, says Ellen Maria Skjelsbæk at Equinor.
Firefighters have been brought in from other parts of the country to help with the clean-up, among other things.
In addition, five boats and over 20 drones are being used in the operation, says Skjelsbæk.
She says that the main effort is being made in the Frøya area. This is where the crew finds the most oil slicks.
Frøya Mayor Kristin Furunes Strømskag says that the municipality has good cooperation with IUA, NOFO and Equinor.
It is a bit difficult to say, but we expect that we will need an operation that will last for several months to come, says Furunes Strømskag.
There are many important areas for seabirds on the Trøndelag archipelago.
We are concentrating on areas where the breeding season is coming up soon, says Skjelsbæk at Equinor.
The Frøya mayor says that they are particularly concerned about the large protected area in Froan. They are concerned about the long-term impacts in the most vulnerable areas.
I am concerned that there are consequences here that we do not see at the moment. At the same time, I am confident that the efforts that are possible to make now will be made, says Furunes Strømskag.
Will report Equinor to the police
The Norwegian Coastal Administration says that they want to report Equinor to the police for the pollution. Previously, both Greenpeace and the Norwegian Association for the Conservation of Nature have also reported the company to the police.
We believe this is a serious release, says Hans Petter Mortensholm, Director of Environmental Emergency Preparedness at the Norwegian Coastal Administration.
He says that they are now considering reporting Equinor to the police is not unusual.
It is one of the tools we have as a supervisory authority for acute pollution.
We report cases that are serious to the police, and that is what it is.
He says that the spill is relatively small, but that it still creates problems.
Even though it is not a large spill, it shows how challenging even smaller spills are, especially when they hit vulnerable areas.
The Norwegian Environment Agency has previously said that they are concerned about the consequences the oil spill could have.
We are concerned about the oil pollution that has reached important and vulnerable areas along the coast of Trøndelag, Ivar Myklebust, head of department at the Norwegian Environment Agency, told NRK after it became clear that the oil spill had hit the coast.
He said that many of the areas along the coast of Trøndelag and Helgeland are areas of great natural value.
The oil slicks have been found in several areas that are important nesting areas for seabirds, explained Myklebust.
The pollution from the Njord platform poses a great risk that seabirds that come to the areas to nest may be damaged by the oil.
Source: NRK (in Norwegian)
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