More than two months have passed since the oil leak began in north China's Bohai Bay. ConocoPhillips China, the oil field operator, and China's maritime authority, the State Oceanic Administration, have had differing attitudes in dealing with the incident.

The oil seepage first occurred at the Penglai 19-3 oil field, Platform B, in Bohai Bay on June 4th. But ConocoPhillips China didn't report it until July 1st, nearly one month later.

On July 5th, China's State Oceanic Administration said oil had also leaked in Platform C. ConocoPhillips China responded the next day saying the oil spill had been contained and the clean-up operation was nearly finished.

The State Oceanic Administration urged investigators to speed up the handling of the oil leak at the offshore oil field on July 10th, after a small amount of oil sheen was found at Platform C. ConocoPhillips said, four days later, that about 1,500 barrels of oil had leaked in the oil field.

Dried oil particles were identified along the coasts of the provinces of Hebei and Liaoning on July 19th. The maritime authority confirmed they were from Penglai 19-3 oil field. Chinese authorities urged ConocoPhillips to apologize to the public.

The US-based company later admitted that a new oil spill source had been found, and a total of 2,500 barrels of oil-based mud had leaked from two platforms. The North China Sea branch of the State Oceanic Administration says it will file lawsuits against the companies responsible for the leak.

On August 19th, ConocoPhillips China extended an apology for its conduct and an investigative task force, headed by the State Oceanic Administration, is set up.

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