GMM Safety | 2024-10-16 | Case Enviroment |
Shell, a British multinational oil and gas company, disclosed that an oil leak occurred over the weekend from a land-based pipeline at Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore on Bukom Island, spilling about 30-40 metric tons of slop, an oil-water mixture into the sea.
Despite the incident, Shell said there had been no impact on the operations or supply at its Bukom facility.Per the company official, the leak occurred early Sunday morning between Bukom Island and Bukom Kecil and was stopped soon after it began leaking.
Shell is coordinating with the relevant authorities to manage the clean-up efforts.The company used containment booms, anti-pollution vessels, and dispersants to contain and break up the oil.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority has also taken preventative measures, including deploying a current buster system near Changi to collect any possible oil spills.
Additionally, steps have been taken to prevent the spread of oil, and the public has been urged not to swim or engage in water activities at some beaches.
The incident follows a similar oil spill earlier this year, which impacted beaches on Singapore’s southern coast, including Sentosa Island.
Shell had already shut down one of its crude distillation units at the Bukom refinery in August for scheduled maintenance, which was expected to be completed in October.
The company is in the process of selling its refinery and petrochemical plants in Singapore to a joint venture founded by Chandra Asri and Glencore.The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
References: Reuters, BNNBloomberg