Areas of the sea off North China's Hebei province where massive numbers of scallops have died are polluted with oil, authorities said.

The latest tests from the North China Sea Branch of the State Oceanic Administration showed oil samples taken from water near the coast of Hebei were fuel oil.

An unnamed official from the Maritime Safety Administration told China Daily they also collected oil samples in Laoting, and tests showed crude oil and fuel oil were both detected in nearby seawater.

No huge ship accident has occurred near Hebei province recently, he added.

Instead, suspicions have been directed at an oil spill in North China's Bohai Bay at a ConocoPhillips China oilfield.

The leak, which started on June 4 and has yet to be stopped, polluted 3,240 square kilometers of seawater at its peak.

However, ConocoPhillips has disputed test results showing it is the company's oil that is damaging the sea and shoreline.

According to a marine environment report in 2010 released by the State Oceanic Administration, increasing oil leaks, such as the Dalian oil spill in 2010, are causing great damage to China's marine environment.

Questions:

1. What did testing off the coast of Hebei cities and beaches find?

2. Why do some people suspect an oil spill in North China’s Bohai Bay is causing the problem off Hebei?

3. Why is the State Oceanic Administration concerned about the increasing number of oil leaks since 2010.

Answers:

1. They found fuel oil off the coast of Hebei.

2. No major oil spill has occurred near Hebei.

3. The agency stated in a 2010 report that the oil leaks are causing great damage to China’s marine environment.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Renee Haines is an editor and broadcaster at China Daily. Renee has more than 15 years of experience as a newspaper editor, radio station anchor and news director, news-wire service reporter and bureau chief, magazine writer, book editor and website consultant. She came to China from the United States.