ENERGY giant BP is to sell Wytch Farm, the largest onshore oilfield in Western Europe.

Less than a month ago the company re-opened the plant near Wareham after an oil leak halted production for two months , but now BP intends to sell it along with their gas fields in the southern North Sea.

No jobs are expected to be lost at Wytch Farm, which produces approximately 15,000 barrels of oil per day in what is one of the most environmentally-sensitive parts of the UK.

“We would expect staff to transfer with the asset to the new buyers when they are identified,” said David Nicholas, a spokesperson for BP.

BP said the leak, which was costing the firm millions in lost revenue, had nothing to do with the sale and that the plant is simply no longer productive enough for them.

“Wytch Farm is a mature asset, at its peak it was producing 110,000 barrels a day but it’s probably down to about 15,000 or so now,” said Mr Nicholas.

“We are looking to sell some of the long-standing interests we’ve had, which probably have limited possibility for future growth, and pursue new projects that we think will grow more in the future.

“They are good assets and we have no doubt that they will |be attractive features in another company’s portfolio.”

BP aims to complete the sale of Wytch Farm by the end of the year and environmentalists are keen to see that the new owners maintain its good environmental record.

“We would expect that any new owner would continue sufficient investment to ensure that there were no impacts in such an important and sensitive natural area,” said Simon Cripps, chief executive at Dorset Wildlife Trust.

“The new owners will very quickly need to ensure they are sensitive to the local community and the local environment.”

There are 65 staff working at Wytch Farm, which taps into three separate oil reservoirs under Poole Harbour and Poole Bay.