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HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s energy minister says he’s concerned about the spill of thousands of litres of drilling fluids off the province’s coast but remains committed to growing the oil and gas industry.
Geoff MacLellan says he has “complete confidence” in the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board’s investigation into BP Canada’s leak of 136 cubic metres of synthetic drilling mud Friday.
He says the findings will be released publicly and will determine the next steps, and that no company is exempt from the stringent rules and regulations that govern the province’s offshore oil and gas industry.
Despite the leak, MacLellan says his government believes a “coexistence” is possible between offshore oil development and the province’s lucrative fishing industry.
He says the province will continue to try to attract large oil and gas companies to conduct offshore exploration and research.
The mud spill from BP Canada’s West Aquarius drilling unit about 330 kilometres southeast of Halifax occurred two days after the province announced an $11.8-million commitment to offshore research and exploration.
Synthetic-based mud is a heavy, dense fluid used during drilling to lubricate the drill pipe and regulate reservoir pressure.
The Canadian Press
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