Oil spill shame

THE INVESTIGATION, JOINTLY ORGANIZAED BY seven central government departments, into the oil spill involving ConocoPhillips China in Bohai Bay is long overdue given the continuing leaks and the uncooperative attitude from the subsidiary of the Houston-based US energy giant.

The State Oceanic Administration (SOA) revealed that the joint investigation team convened a meeting on Saturday to hear reports from ConocoPhillips China and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), ConocoPhillips' partner in the oil field. The team involves the ministries of environmental protection, transportation, agriculture, land and resources, State Administration of Work Safety and State Administration of Energy Resources.

ConocoPhillips China has reported nine new oil leaks, which proves that the company has failed to take effective action since the first leaks were discovered in the middle of June and that the situation is deteriorating.