BP Will Allow Spill to "Disperse Naturally"

BP said in a statement Monday that a spill of over 600 barrels of oil from its Clair platform in the North Sea would be allowed to dissipate naturally, without a cleanup effort. 

The spill occurred Sunday morning; BP said that the source was a leak in an oil/water/gas separator. 

"At present, we believe the most appropriate response is to allow the oil to disperse naturally at sea, but contingencies for other action are being prepared," a spokesperson told UPI.  “The most recent surveillance flight already indicates significant dispersal of the oil at the surface.”

BP said that the oil slick was moving away from land and that it would continue to monitor its progress. 

UK media reported that oil was visible on the surface of the water. 

Workers have shut in the platform while the leak is investigated. BP is working with government and commercial spill response agencies to determine the best course of action. 

A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds-Scotland told the Guardian that certain seabird species could be at risk from the spill due to their seasonal movements. The group called for a complete disclosure of the nature and extent of the spill as soon as possible.

The leak follows two days after the release of the movie “Deepwater Horizon,” which follows the events on the BP-chartered rig of the same name on the day of the blowout, which led to the biggest oil spill in U.S. history. BP alleges that the film is misleading and inaccurate in its portrayal of the disaster. 

“The ‘Deepwater Horizon’ movie is Hollywood’s take on a tragic and complex accident. It is not an accurate portrayal of the events that led to the accident, our people, or the character of our company," the firm said in a statement.