Coast Guard secures area where vessel loaded with LPG sank

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) secured yesterday the area where the vessel loaded with two tanks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sank at the height of typhoon “Basyang” last July 13. The vessel remains submerged off Limay in Bataan, and the tanks leaking LPG.

Commodore Luis Tuason Jr., commander of the PCG-National Capital Region-Central Luzon, said that leaks were detected in the LPG tanks since Saturday.

He said the PCG have already sent one fast craft and one tugboat to cordon a 500-meter wide area around the ill-fated tanker M/T Deborah Uno.

He said that they measured the oxygen level of the gas outside the tank and it reached five percent. The flammable limit is between 2.2 percent and 9.5 percent, which could cause an explosion in the area.

Tuason said the vessel, which is submerged near the shoreline, is owned by Buenos Aires Lighterage and was chartered to Grand Asia Shipping Line.

The tanker came from the Petrochem Plant in Bataan and was en route to the Petron Refilling Station in Ugong, Pasig City when seawater penetrated the hull of the vessel at the height of the typhoon.

Petron Corp. reportedly owned the two gas tanks that contained 197 metric tons of LPG.

Tuason said the Coast Guard had implemented safety measures to prevent an explosion by keeping the temperature inside the tanker and the pressure outside the tanker within range to ensure that the gas, which is in its liquid state, would not be converted into gas.

He explained that the liquid is multiplied several times, about 270, if changed to gas and its container, made of carbon steel, would not be able to contain it.

“Our vessels are there to prevent fishing boats from getting inside the 500-meter radius from the vessel, but to also check on the temperature and pressure. There should be a relief valve but if the pressure and the temperature increase we would just spray seawater on the motor tanker to cool it down,” Tuason said.

He said the weather is cooperating and has not hampered operations in the area.

Tuason compared an explosion to a balloon burst that would make a loud noise but have minimal impact.

“It would only cause the tanker to deform, may be some of the steel parts would be thrown up in the air, shake the ground where the vessel is lying and the vessel might totally submerge or catch fire.”

If the gas is mixed with the air and there is an igniter, it could also lead to an explosion. Therefore, the PCG Commodore added, “There should be no source of ignition.”

He said the vessel is half submerged and they were only able to detect the leaking gas because bubbles were spotted on the water.

Tuason also assured the residents that the leaking gas would not further damage the ozone layer, nor would it be a cause of marine pollution.

He also complained that the employees of the Petrochem Plant refused to cooperate with investigators.

Tuason said that security guards of the plant prevented te PCG personnel from entering the area to get information on the LPG tanks.

“They cannot prevent the government from doing its job. The police were there and I gave instructions to my men to coordinate with the police to disarm the security guards and apprehend them. We are protecting the interest of the people of Bataan,” Tuason added. 

Meanwhile, the Bataan Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) is also investigating the extent of oil and gas leak.

Board member Gerry Roxas, chairman of Committee on Environment and Energy, told reporters that the panel would convene today to discuss the environmental concerns that threaten the livelihood of thousands of local fishermen.

Roxas, a former mayor of Limay, said the residents and fishermen have urged him to check the seawaters off Limay to determine if it is still safe to catch fish.

He said the committee would recommend the necessary action for conducting clearing operations together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. With Raffy Viray