Offshore oil and gas regulator lays charges against Cenovus Energy for 2018 spill off Newfoundland
Canada's offshore oil and gas regulator has laid three charges against a Cenovus Energy Inc. subsidiary stemming from a huge oil spill off the coast of Newfoundland in 2018.
The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board says the charges against Husky Oil Operations Inc. include allegations that the company, taken over by Cenovus earlier this year, didn't move fast enough to stop work that could cause pollution, that it resumed work without ensuring it could be done safely, and that it violated a law that prohibits any spills in the offshore area.
The leak of 250,000 litres of oil, water and gas from the SeaRose production vessel is considered the largest in the province's history.
The spill in the White Rose oilfield, which sits about 350 kilometres off the coast of St. John's, N.L., happened while the company was preparing to restart production during a fierce storm.
A Husky report said that an initial leak happened during a 20-minute stretch while crews were troubleshooting a drop in flowline pressure, and a retest led to a second release lasting about 15 minutes.
The first court appearance for the charges is scheduled for Nov. 23 at Provincial Court in St. John's, NL.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.