On Sunday, a Perenco-owned pipeline at an onshore oil field leaked around 200 barrels of  reservoir fluid, including oil, into Poole Harbour in Dorset, England. It is Europe’s largest natural harbour and around 5,000 acres of it are a classified Site of Special Scientific Interest as its mudflats and saltmarshes host various seabirds, including ospreys that are part of an osprey reintroduction programme. Poole Harbour is also a known bass nursery area.

The leak happened at Wytch Farm, an onshore oil field that generates around 14,000 barrels of oil per day. While 200 barrels of reservoir fluid were released, Perenco said that each of these contained 158 litres of fluid which were made up of 85% of water adn 15% of oil. Perenco said in a statement: “The exact amounts discharged are not yet known. It was a limited amount which was quickly stopped, contained and is being cleaned.” They further reported “no risk” of additional leakages, while they said that the pipeline was shut down and booms were put in place to minimise pollution.

“Poole Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world – it’s a huge area so we have four separate teams combing the harbour to understand the extent of the spill at this stage and where it has come ashore,” Jim Stewart, of Poole Harbour Commissioners, told the BBC. A team of 60 people, helicopters and drones are currently on site to help determine the cause and extent of the spill. He added: “Some of that oil has already been captured during operations yesterday [Sunday]. It’s too early to say what caused the leak. We’ll be looking at how exactly it happened and get reassurance it doesn’t happen in future.”