The following is being distributed at the request of Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board:

Charge laid for November 21Terra Nova oil spill

A charge against Petro-Canada, as the operator of the Terra Nova FPSO, has been laid by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) today. This charge is a result of an alleged spill of crude oil during the early morning hours of November 21, 2004, in violation of section 161(1) of the Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation Act. The alleged spill occurred at the Terra Nova field, some 350 kilometres east southeast of St. John�s, NL. 

The charge against Petro-Canada is the result of a detailed investigation by C-NLOPB officers into the alleged spill. Now that charges have been laid, the matter has been handed over to federal Crown prosecutors.

The C-NLOPB mission, as laid out in the Accord Implementation Acts, is to represent the public interest in the exploration development and production of hydrocarbon resources in the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area. This includes implementing and enforcing provisions of the Accord Act and regulations made under them, particularly in terms of safety, environmental protection, resource management and industrial benefits. 

Media contact: Simone Keough, APR, Manager, Communications, (709) 778-1418