Water quality affected by Chinese oil spill

The water quality off the north-east coast of China may have been damaged by an oil spill.

Bosses at the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) have revealed that a "minor" leak occurred yesterday (July 12th) in Bohai Bay.

The spill was said to have happened after the Suizhong 36-1 field central control system broke down.

After finding the damage, leaders at the organisation said the leak, which covered a one square kilometre area, would have been cleaned up by the end of the day.

This is not the first time the CNOOC has had to deal with oil flowing into the sea, as other spills covering an 840 sq km area in the same region were also being cleared up last week.

The incidents have alerted neighbouring South Korea, with foreign ministry spokesman Cho Byung-jae claiming: "I think it would be conscientious of China to provide immediate information on the matter and possible outcomes to neighbouring nations."

Last year, BP was widely criticised for its role in the highly publicised oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Posted by Claire Manning