We have been made aware of an offshore oil release off the North Wales coast.
There have been no reports of oil on Wyre’s coast, but some small tar balls have been spotted in Blackpool between North and Central Pier.
With the current strong winds and storms over the next few days, our storm boards are already closed and members of the public are strongly advised to stay away from the coast.
Please do not attempt to remove any tar ball deposits. Instead, please visit our website to report suspected incidents.
We encourage all our residents and visitors to read our FAQs below so you know what to look out for.
What was the incident?
Eni UK Ltd confirms that a release of less than 500 barrels occurred on Monday 14 February from its pipeline between the Conwy and Douglas Installations, approximately 33 km from the North Wales coast The Conwy to Douglas line was shut immediately and remains off.
What do tar balls look like?
Tar balls are dark coloured, coin sized pieces made up of a mixture of hydrocarbons. We ask that you do not approach any tar ball deposits, instead, please complete our online form to report any suspected incidents.
What should I do if I come across any washed up oil/tar balls?
We would like to stress that removal of this waste should only be carried out by experts wearing PPE and we ask that members of the public do not attempt to remove any “tar ball” deposits. Instead, please complete our online form to report any suspected incidents.
Will the beach be closed?
We would urge people avoid stretches of beaches over the next few days when our beaches will mostly be closed off due to high tides and storm force winds.
Can I walk my dog on the beach?
As a precaution, we would ask people not to walk their dogs on the beach at this time. Wyre has numerous dog-friendly parks that can be used as an alternative.