Four months after an extensive oil spill across Singapore’s southern islands, another oil spill has occurred.
This time, the incident has taken place in the waters off Pulau Bukom, which is located off the west coast of Singapore.
Source: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore – MPA on Facebook
In a media statement on Sunday (20 Oct), the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it was alerted to the incident at about 1pm that day.
Oil had leaked from a Shell land-based pipeline between Pulau Bukom and Pulau Bukom Kecil at about 5.30am that morning.
“The leak was reported to have stopped at source,” it added.
Shell told Channel NewsAsia (CNA) that the leak occurred at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore.
It was stopped at around 3pm, the company said.
However, oil sheens have been detected in the water channel between the two islands since the late morning.
Source: Google Maps
Shell has activated emergency response specialists to help manage the situation.
It has placed containment booms off the site of the leak and deployed craft equipped with dispersants to clean up oil sighted in the vicinity of the leak, MPA said.
The Shell Energy and Chemicals Park is the company’s only energy and chemicals park in Asia, according to Shell.
On MPA’s part, it has deployed seven craft equipped with dispersants, as well as craft from contractor Singapore Salvage Engineers.
They are spraying dispersants in the water to break down the oil.
Source: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore – MPA on Facebook
MPA has also activated its drones and satellite capabilities to help with sighting the oil spill.
The relevant government agencies have been alerted to report any new oil sightings, which have not been detected as of 6pm.
Its Port Operations Control Centre is issuing navigational safety broadcasts to ask passing vessels to keep clear of the site, MPA said, adding:
There is no impact to navigation safety.
The damage caused by the previous oil spill in June took more than three months to clear, with all public beaches affected fully reopening only in late September.
It also took an army of workers and volunteers to clear, including machines such as excavators and wheel loaders to scoop up contaminated sand from the beaches.
That incident was caused by an allision — when a moving ship runs into a stationary ship — between two vessels at Pasir Panjang Terminal.
Also read: Clean-up efforts: How NEA is clearing oil-soaked sand from East Coast Park beaches after oil spill
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Featured image adapted from Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore – MPA on Facebook.
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