OIL has been detected in a Scottish waterway after a leak from a pipeline feeding the Grangemouth refinery.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said on Friday that a “very slight amount” of oil had been detected in Fruin Water, near the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park.
The agency said there were “no significant concerns” as to the environmental impact on the waterway.
On Wednesday, Argyll and Bute Council said it was co-ordinating “a multi-agency response following a small quantity of light crude oil surfacing from an underground pipeline in the area local to Finnart Ocean Terminal”.
Petroineos, which owns and operates the site, deployed “specialists in spill containment and recovery to the area” in Glen Fruin, the local authority said.
A statement went on: “The leak is located in a small area and all residents living in close proximity of the site are aware. Sepa is supporting the response and is on site to ensure all necessary clean-up measures are taken.
“Investigations are ongoing but there is currently a very low risk to the wider public.”
In an updated statement on Friday, Sepa senior manager Shona McConnell said: “Petroineos has containment and clean-up operations in place and Sepa officers attended the site again yesterday (Thursday, January 4, 2024) to carry out visual inspections, alongside assessments of ecology and water chemistry, following the rainfall on Wednesday, January 3.
“At present we have no significant concerns with respect to environmental impact on the Fruin Water. However, while the containment measures are performing well, a very slight amount of oil was detected immediately downstream of the first containment site.
“The operator has been requested to install further containment measures on the Fruin Water as an additional precautionary measure. Sepa is attending the site again today.
“We will continue to work closely with partners, including Argyll and Bute Council, to monitor the response and clean up for as long as needed. Our staff will continue to attend [the] site as required.”
