Shell Oil Spill in the North Sea

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell is working to stop an oil spill at one of the North Sea oil platforms. Shell have said that they are working hard to reduce the effects of the oil spill but would not say how much oil has actually been leaked from the platform. The company has stated that the size of the sea surface affected was around 31 km (19 miles) to 4.3 km (2.5 miles) at it's widest point, yet it still says its an insignificant spill.
The leak was found near the Great Alpha platform,180 kilometers (133 miles) from Aberdeen, Scotland.
(Facts I have re-phrased in my own words from BBC News)

None the less, environmentalists are very concerned for the marine life and birds that live in the area affected by the oil spill. No matter how small the spill, it can have a very significant effect in the numbers of birds, fish and other marine life living in the area of water containing water.
Images of marine life almost drowning in oil and birds struggling to stay afloat after their feathers are clogged with oil show the immediate effects of an oil spill. However, the long-term affects are much worse under the water. Well after the oil is removed from water, the toxins in the oil can have an everlasting effect on entire species of wildlife, pollute the foods we eat and have a disastrous effect on the ocean's ecosystem.
Species of marine life rely on kelp beds, coral reefs and tidal pools as habitats where they can live and find food to survive. Toxins in the oil can kill kelp and other sea grasses.
The birds that live around the waters may end up with feathers coated in oil which sticks them together and also weighs them down which prevents them from being able to fly and a large percentage sadly drown. The smaller percentage end up as an easy prey for the larger animals able to swim through the oil because they can't get away soon enough.
To the right I have included a cartoon image of a bird covered in oil. I chose a cartoon image because the real life pictures are rather graphic but sometimes need to be shown. But now is not the time to share such upsetting images.
The fish that are affected also have an effect on the human life and the marine ecosystem. If the fish are killed by oil spills and pollution, the humans can't eat them and an important food in the average human diet may be lost.
(Facts I have re-phrased in my own words from eHow)

I hope this has given you some food for thought(: