SO much gas from the Wytch Farm oil field had to be burnt off by "flaring" last year that the operation on the Wareham side of Poole Harbour busted its own target for greenhouse gas emissions.

The flaring beacon was seen almost twice as often as expected during 2003 as the company overshot its target of 65,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas by 14 per cent.

BP has held its hands up and admitted its green credentials have taken a bashing because of operational problems at the oil field's gas plant and refrigeration system.

As a consequence, the company has raised its greenhouse gas target for this year by 10 per cent to 71,000 tonnes to give it more leeway.

But it is not all bad news for the oil giant as the amount of ozone depleting HCFC chemicals released from the site was 27 per cent lower than the target set last year.

Jane Brown, BP environmental co-ordinator, said the plant had more unexpected incidents causing brief close downs during 2003, and when this happened the excess gas was burned off - or flared - as a "safety valve."

However, Wytch Farm had improved its maintenance and the management of leaks, resulting in the much lower HCFC emissions.

A new bigger drilling rig is being installed this year to allow untapped oil and gas to be reached through existing oil well holes sunk by smaller rigs.

BP is also looking to transport less of the fuel by train and more by road in the future.

Oil production at Wytch Farm peaked in 2000 and is now declining.

Last year 40,600 barrels of oil per day was produced and this is expected to fall to below 20,000 barrels per day by 2015, unless additional oil is found beneath the harbour.

First published: September 10