Clean-up operations and investigations continue into an oil leak at a waterway near Helensburgh.

A member of the public reported seeing oil in the Fruin Water, north of the town, last week.

Environmental watchdogs and Argyll and Bute Council reported that the oil had come from an underground pipeline between the Finnart oil terminal on the east shore of Loch Long and the Grangemouth oil refinery on the other side of the country.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) said a "very slight amount" of oil was detected in the waterway in Glen Fruin on January 2.

But the environment watchdog said there were "no significant concerns" over the environmental impact of the spill.

Last week Argyll and Bute Council said it was leading a "multi-agency response" into a "small amount of light crude oil surfacing from an underground pipeline".

The C70 and C71 roads in Glen Fruin were limited to local access only, with signs put in place diverting through traffic via the A817 Haul Road.

Helensburgh Advertiser:

Petroineos, which owns the pipeline, had containment and recovery specialists on site from Wednesday. Any residents nearby were made aware.

Initially SEPA said no oil was observed in the Fruin below "upstream containment infrastructure" at Stone House.

But on Friday they said a small amount was detected "immediately downstream of the first containment site".

Shona McConnell, SEPA's senior manager for environmental performance, said: “Petroineos has containment and clean-up operations in place.

"SEPA officers attended the site again on January 4 to carry out visual inspections, alongside assessments of ecology and water chemistry, following the rainfall on Wednesday.

“At present we have no significant concerns with respect to environmental impact on the Fruin Water. However, whilst the containment measures are performing well, a very slight amount of oil was detected immediately downstream of the first containment site.

Helensburgh Advertiser:

"The operator has been requested to install further containment measures on the Fruin Water as an additional precautionary measure. SEPA are 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 site as required.”

The council said earlier last week: "Argyll and Bute Council is coordinating 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, Argyll and Bute.

Helensburgh Advertiser:

"Petroineos, who own and operate the site have deployed specialists in spill containment and recovery to the area in Glen Fruin where they remain on site.

"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.

"A cordon is in place to prevent access to the site. NHS Highland's Health Protection Team (HPT) is working closely with the council’s Environmental Health Team to assess any implications for a small number of private water drinking supplies.

"The Public Health Protection Team will continue to work with the multi-agency group to assess any implications for health as investigations continue.

"Partners include, Police Scotland, SEPA, NHS Highland Public Health, Scottish Water and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority."

Petroineos said in a statement: "Following a report to the local police on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 2 of a small oil presence in the vicinity of our Finnart to Grangemouth Pipelines, Petroineos stood up an incident response team.

"Specialists in spill containment and recovery were immediately mobilised and they remain at the site deploying measures to confine to a small area and ultimately remove any affected materials from site.

"We are working closely with a multi-agency group, to coordinate the response, including the local authority, Police Scotland, local health board and Sepa."

The oil terminal at Finnart dates back to a facility built to supply fuel oil to naval vessels during the Second World War. 

After the war, the land on which the terminal was built was taken over by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company - which later became BP.

They built two pipelines between Finnart and Grangemouth - one to transport crude oil to the refinery, the other returning refined oil to the terminal for export.

The Finnart facility was sold by BP to the Ineos Group in 2005.