Offshore board failed to disclose spill quickly: chair

The board that regulates Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore oil industry admits it failed to quickly notify the provincial government about a spill of drilling mud at an exploration well east of St. John's on March 28.

Natural Resources Minister Shawn Skinner complained he learned about the 26,000 litre-spill at the Henry Goodrich drill rig through the media - three days after it happened.

In a letter written to the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board on April 1, Skinner calls it an "unacceptable communications breakdown."

In his response on April 4, board chair Max Ruelokke admits they failed to provide information to the minister as quickly as possible.

Ruelokke said he's working with his staff to make sure it doesn't happen again and he and Skinner are expected to meet and discuss the incident.

In his letter, Skinner said there has been at least one other incident that had alarmed him since he became minister in December.

Skinner said government officials were left in the dark when a helicopter had to return to the Henry Goodrich after the chopper experienced abnormal vibration in December.