Refinery “slick” alarms group: Fear for bay

BY HAMISH HEARD
An environmental group fears an underground oil slick continues to flow from Shell’s refinery into Corio Bay despite EPA orders to clean up the mess.
Geelong Community for Good Life spokesperson Sue McLean said soil and groundwater testing had revealed a large oil slick and other chemical contaminants flowing into the bay via groundwater.
Ms McLean said the slick on groundwater under and surrounding the refinery was up to three metres thick.
“That’s a hell of a lot of oil.”
Ms McLean said tests had also revealed deposits of cancer-causing benzene and various heavy metals in the slick.
She criticised Shell and the EPA for keeping the community in the dark since the environmental regulator issued the last of five clean-up orders to the refinery in October, 2004.
Ms McLean said “numerous” requests to find out whether Shell had adhered to the EPA orders had gone unanswered.
“Our biggest fear is the possibility that contaminated groundwater is continuing to seep into the bay,” Ms McLean said.
The Independent has seen an EPA document with markings on an aerial photograph showing where a “contaminated plume” has seeped off the refinery site and into the bay.
EPA spokesperson Ruth Ward said a “clean up” was likely to begin next year after an ecological risk assessment.
Shell had already undertaken works to ensure no further ground-water contamination, she said.
Shell spokesperson Jessica Marriner said studies had shown that any off-site impact was “historical in nature, localised and generally stable or reducing”.