Thousands of Tons Spilled at Oil Field in Russia

A Russian official says that up to 2,000 tons of oil have been spilled at an oil field in Russia’s north.

The accident happened at an oil field in the Nenets Autonomous District on Friday when oil workers were working on an exploratory well. The oil had been gushing for nearly two days before the workers capped it Sunday morning.

Vladimir Bezumov, chief of the Russian Environmental Agency in the district, said the weekend spill could have produced between 800 and 2,000 tons and damaged at least 8,000 square meters of land.

Bezumov said his agency will be preparing a lawsuit against the oil companies after the clean-up is over.

An AP investigation last year showed that at least 1 percent of Russia’s annual oil production, or 5 million tons, is spilled every year, according to various estimates.