Oil leaked at a rig in northern Bohai Bay in June and July, leaving unanswered questions. More than onefifth of the bay was polluted, inflicting a heavy blow on the fishing industry. Chinas maritime laws cap monetary punishments for such incidents at 200,000 yuan, a slap on the wrist for the rig's operator, ConocoPhillips. qhere is precedent for polluters to get away with token penalties. State-owned CNOOC, for example,