ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — The agency that regulates offshore safety in Newfoundland and Labrador says all offshore oil rigs in the province’s waters have been temporarily shut down.
The move comes after a Husky Energy facility leaked an estimated 250,000 litres of oil into the sea southeast of St. John’s.
Earlier: French Riviera closes its beaches due to oil spill (story continues below)
If Husky’s estimate of the spill size is correct, it’s the largest oil spill in Newfoundland’s history, CBC News reports.
The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board says in a statement on its website that operations on offshore rigs will not resume until the board determines it’s safe to do so.
Husky Energy says the spill happened Friday when a production, storage and offloading vessel “experienced a loss of pressure” in an oil flowline.
A spokeswoman for the company said earlier that rough seas were hindering workers from containing the spill, but noted there was no indication the spill could reach land.
The board says four surveillance flights and a support vessel have been dispatched to the area, and so far no marine life or seabirds have been seen in the vicinity.
— The Canadian Press, with a file from HuffPost Canada