News / Mystery oil sheen at SVT
AN INVESTIGATION has been launched into the source of an oily sheen that appeared in a burn next to the Sullom Voe oil terminal in Shetland.
On Wednesday afternoon terminal operators BP sent an anti-pollution squad to the Burn of Crooksetter to deploy a boom to stop the sheen from spreading after it was discovered.
The oil company also informed environmental protection agency SEPA who sent up a team to investigate the sheen and take samples.
BP and SEPA have not yet been able to identify the source of the small quantity of oil that has appeared in the burn.
BP have confirmed that crude oil is not the source. There has been a suggestion it could be hydraulic fluid that has leaked from the terminal site where major refurbishment works are currently underway.
Some old landfill sites were dug many years ago near the burn, and there have been previous reports of seepage from those sites into the burn over the years.
BP said production at the terminal had not been affected and the sheen had been contained so it could not reach the wider marine environment.
A SEPA spokeswoman said they were investigating and therefore it would be inappropriate to provide any further information.
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