How ready is Taranaki for an offshore oil spill?

Wednesday, 10 October 2018

More specialised equipment is required to fight oil spills off the Taranaki coast, says the Taranaki Regional Council.

Currently the region has 27 Maritime New Zealand - trained staff from regional council and the oil industry to meet the first response if a serious oil spill occurred offshore, or from a large ship entering Port Taranaki.

TRC's readiness and capability to respond to oil spills within the 12 mile limit is 'fit for purpose', the TRC policy and planning committee was told recently.

Staff would like more oil spill equipment installed at Port Taranaki to recognise the high risk of a marine oil spill associated with Taranaki's oil and gas sector, TRC resource management director Fred McLay told the meeting.

The regional response to oil spills was guided by the New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Readiness and Response Strategy 2018-2022, McLay said.

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The strategy is undergoing its fifth review since 1992, and the first since 2014.

The strategy covered all of New Zealand but was of more importance to Taranaki as the only oil producing region are in the country, he said.

Currently the region is equipped to respond to localised Tier 1 and Tier 2 oil spills which can be contained by the regional council, or the operator. 

Maritime New Zealand had responsibility for managing larger more serious Tier 3 responses when the spill exceeded the capacity of Tier 1 and Tier 2 resources due to size, cost, location complexity or environmental impact, he said.

McLay said the issue of providing more equipment would be discussed in the latest strategy review which involved input from council staff.

'The strategy sets out the overarching framework for marine oil spill response and there is sufficient equipment within the region to respond to a Tier 1 and Tier 2 event,' McLay said.

'The regional council also has access to resources from outside of the region and the response capability of Maritime New Zealand for Tier 3 incidents.'

TRC worked closely with Maritime New Zealand to ensure that the strategy provided the response capability that is required, given the level of risk in the Taranaki region, he said.

TRC can respond to Tier 2 marine oil spills within the regional council boundary that exceed the clean-up capability of Tier 1 oil spills.

'There is a stock of equipment stored at Port Taranaki to contain and clean up marine oil spills within the port area and beyond.

'The equipment is supplied and maintained by the Marine Pollution Fund and is overseen by Maritime New Zealand which provides training for personnel from the regional council, Port Taranaki and other key industries to be ready to respond to a spill.'

The equipment included a range of booms, skimmers, portable tanks, power packs and associated equipment to contain and recover spills, he said.

The regional council also had access to vessels to assist with any response.

If the oil spill could not be contained by regional staff , the council can access equipment stored and maintained at MNZ's Marine Pollution Response Service warehouse in Te Atatu, Auckland, and over 20 equipment stockpiles around the country, he said.

Maritime New Zealand took responsibility for managing a Tier 3 response when the spill exceeds the capacity of both Tier 1 and Tier 2 resources (due to size, cost, location complexity or environmental impact).

In 2011 a MNZ report, which rated Taranaki top among all regions most in danger of a marine oil spill, prompted TRC to call for more equipment.

Having large floating facilities off the Taranaki coast used to store and offload crude oil had become an issue, McLay said at the time.

The facilities were well out to sea and if any oil got into the water out there, the sea conditions would have to be very calm to allow booms and skimmers to be used, he was reported.

Agencies would only be able to use chemical dispersants, or 'shovel the oil up once it reached the beaches,' he said.

Marine oil spills off the Taranaki coast.

2000: 50 litres of condensate spilled from the Pohokura field, off Motunui, and spread along two kilometres of beach.

2007: about 33 tonnes of oil was spilled from the Tui offshore field resulting in 23 tonnes washing ashore along 14 kilometres of coastline.

2010: oil spilled in the Maari field and washed up on Kapiti coast beaches.

2015: 300 litres leaked from a supply ship near the Maari offshore platform but dispersed naturally. 

2011: Rena grounded off Tauranga and spilled 1000 tonnes of fuel oil onto nearby beaches.