Coast Guard sends Oil Spill Response Team to Bataan, Cavite

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sent yesterday an Oil Spill Response Team to Rosario, Cavite, where an underwater oil pipeline damaged by typhoon “Basyang” is still leaking while another containment unit is en route to Limay, Bataan where an oil tanker sank during the storm.

The PCG plans to pump water into the submarine pipeline of Petron’s Rosario Depot Terminal that was damaged at the height of the typhoon to push the estimated 180,000 liters of bunker oil back to the depot and prevent more oil from leaking to the sea.

The PCG said the damaged pipeline is leaking bunker fuel at an estimated one liter every 10 minutes.

Commodore Luis Tuason, PCG National Capital Region-Central Luzon commander, said that they are currently coordinating with Petron Corp. officials to plug the leak on its 2.6-kilometer long pipeline that starts from the shore and extends out to sea, where tankers pick up the fuel.

Local officials in Rosario had ordered Petron to stop operations at the oil depot after the leaking pipeline caused a fish kill last Thursday that affected the livelihood of local fishermen.

Superintendent Manuel Placido, Rosario police chief, said at the height of the typhoon last Tuesday night, strong waves swept a tanker towards the shoreline and the vessel’s anchor damaged the underwater oil pipeline that started leaking.

Rosario Vice Mayor Jose Rozel Hernandez said the oil spill from the Petron depot in Barangay Poblacion is now about 300 to 400 meters wide.

Hernandez said the local government immediately issued a suspension order to Petron to stop operations of the depot.

He said the fishing operation was affected and there are no fishing vessels in the area because they feared their catch would be contaminated.

The PCG reported that last July 13 big waves and strong winds brought by Basyang swept the anchor of the motor tanker M/T Baliwag, owned by Herma Shipping Lines, towards the Petron oil pipeline.

The PCG initially planned to pour cement on the source of the leak, but the plan was not feasible since the concrete will not stick to the oily pipeline. PCG officials said another option is to put a special encasement to contain the leak. 

“We have no other recourse but to pump water into the pipeline and push the bunker oil in the pipeline back to the depot. Of course, if we do that it will become contaminated but I think Petron could segregate it and reprocess it,” said Tuason.

The PCG plans to use the fire pump of a vessel in order to fill the pipeline with water and push the bunker oil back to the depot.

Tuason assured the public that PCG vessels, Marine Environment Protection Command personnel and divers were already sent to Cavite. “The situation is contained.”

He also discounted the possibility that the leak would lead to a fire or an explosion since once the oil surfaces, the Mepcom would automatically scoop up the oil. “It would not cause fire because the pipeline is submerged.”

They have also installed two layers of oil spill booms and sorbent pads to protect 11,200 square meters of the coast off Rosario, Cavite.

Petron said that there is no oily sheen found outside the two oil spill booms (inner and outer) that were deployed on top of the submarine pipeline. Only minimal traces of oil were found at the spill boom. The plugging of one of the flanges in the pipeline is ongoing to ensure that there is no more residual oil that will come out. “We expect this within the day,” Petron said.

It must be noted that the pipeline is empty when not in use and contains only residue. The pipeline was last used on May 15 or more than two months ago.

Contrary to some reports, the oily sheen (which has already been dispersed) will not affect marine life and coral reefs in the area since oil is lighter than water and just stays on top.

Petron response teams are already on the site and would continue to monitor and report the situation.

The facility has been operating for over 20 years without any accidents, Petron said.

Meanwhile, the PCG is also checking a reported oil spill from a ship that sank off Limay, Bataan.