MELBOURNE (Bloomberg) -- An oil leak from a well in the Timor Sea that threatens to harm migratory whales and breeding turtles has spread to about 80 nautical miles (92 miles) of the Australian coast, the Resources and Energy minister said.

Spraying of dispersant continued on Saturday to accelerate the breakdown of the oil slick, Minister Martin Ferguson said in a statement after visiting the site. Australian Greens party Senator Rachel Siewert said in an earlier statement that the oil was 20 kilometers from the Kimberley coastline of Western Australia, and appeared to be more serious than had been previously indicated.
PTTEP, Thailand’s only publicly traded oil exploration company, said Aug. 23 it may take 50 days to plug the leak from the well about 250 kilometers (155 miles) off the coast.
The Bangkok-based company is unable to comment on speculative aspects of this issue, Ian Williams, a Perth-based spokesman said in a statement. A rig that will drill a well to plug the leak is expected to arrive at the site on Sept. 8, Williams said.
A Boeing 747 carrying equipment to disperse gas and prevent a fire at the field left Singapore Sunday night and arrived in Darwin the following day, Williams said. The gear will be fitted to two vessels and probably leave Darwin for the spill site 36 hours after arrival, he added.
Oil, gas and condensate started seeping into the Timor Sea Aug. 21 from a leak 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) below the ocean floor during drilling by the West Atlas rig.
Perth-based Woodside Petroleum Ltd. said Aug. 25 it is able to provide rigs, boats, workers and an “expert team” to assist in the response to the incident.