A BP Cherry Point refinery project designed to prevent oil spills could be delayed nearly a year after a commercial diver died in August working on the project.

The delay means BP will miss a deadline this week to finish a state-mandated booming system that would surround and isolate incoming ships for oil transfers. The systems are required under new state law.

The state Department of Ecology will extend BP’s deadline until August 2008, requiring the company to take extra precautions to ensure safe transfers in the meantime.

Ecology spokesman Curt Hart said precautions, which will keep BP in compliance with the state, will include emergency-ready oilskimmer boats, dock-mounted skimming devices and a temporary boom that would help prevent the spread of oil in the case of a spill.

“You need to have means in place that would either prevent a spill, or if there is a spill, help control it,” Hart said.

Commercial diver Christopher Primeau, 35, of Wallula died after being trapped beneath a large piling being driven offshore of the Cherry Point refinery on Aug. 7.

Bill Kidd, director of external affairs for BP, said the incident led BP to re-evaluate the project in terms of safety, and to look into hiring a new contractor to complete it.

“We want to get to the permanent system as soon as we can,” Kidd said. “We would have much preferred to not have the accident and be in the standard form of compliance, but that’s just not the way it worked out for us.”

Kidd emphasized that the interim precautions would be effective in protecting the area.

Kidd said construction would begin as soon as possible but permit snags caused by the delays and winter weather may stifle construction until spring.

Hart said Ecology expects BP to fully comply with interim measures and new construction deadlines.

The federal arm of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will likely complete its investigation of the August incident soon, said Joy Flack, director of OSHA’s Bellevue office.