A fine of NOK 3 million has been imposed on Statoil for a condensate spill in June 1999.
About 562 barrels of condensate leaked from a pipeline linking the groupâs Kollsnes gas treatment plant near Bergen with Norsk Hydroâs oil terminal at Sture in the same region.
The spill was caused by a failure in the corrosion protection system, and Statoilâs inquiry report into the incident identified weaknesses in monitoring routines for the pipeline.
Sigurd Geir Amland, operations vice president for Troll Gas, says that the group has learnt lessons from the accident and that routines for inspecting and monitoring the line have been improved.
âSince our aim is zero discharges of hazardous substances, we regret this leak from our condensate pipeline,â he adds.
Statoil has pursued environmental monitoring in Ă dnavika, where the spill occurred, but ended this programme in the spring with the concurrence of the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority.
This monitoring work shows that the accident had little effect on marine life in the area, and that its impact on the shore zone was very limited.
Statoil has 10 days to decide whether or not to accept the fine imposed by the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime in Norway.