	gulf canada goc asserts no damage from spill gulf canada corp said a discharge of material at its amauligak drilling site in the beaufort sea caused no danger to the environment yesterday the federal department of energy charged gulf canada with eight counts of illegal dumping for discharging powdered cement and drilling mud between september and last year the charges carry a maximum dlr fine on each count gulf said the government s charges relate to discharging materials without a permit not to environmental damage resulting from the action gulf said it voluntarily informed appropriate government officials when the material was discharged the company also said none of the material was discharged within miles of the closest shoreline it added that one of the materials cited barite is a naturally occurring mineral routinely discharged into the sea during drilling operations reuter 
