BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Companies in Bellingham working on a big oil-containment barge are being told to clean up their act after a series of small oil spills.

The Department of Ecology issued a warning last week to Superior Energy Services, which is working at the Bellingham shipping terminal on the barge for shell's drilling project in Arctic Alaska.

Katie Skipper with Ecology says the project has resulted in three hydraulic oil spills and a diesel spill since July 24.



Ecology is requiring Superior to take corrective actions to stop the spills.

The agency is also forcing the lead construction contractor Greenberry Industrial to meet the requirements of an industrial stormwater discharge permit while it continues working on the project.