Horizons Regional Council is keeping a close eye on the oil spill off the Taranaki coast.
The spill occurred at the Raroa storage facility nearly 70kms from shore on February 20.
The council's on scene commander Ian Lowe, says the monitoring is precautionary as the chances of the oil reaching the beaches is still very minimal.
But he says if it did, it wouldn't be in the form of a giant slick.
"It would be in cowpat like pieces, certainly it's not an oil slick like the Rena."
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