Kerosene Overflow At Shell Refinery
By Hamidah Atan
2 May 2001
PORT DICKSON, Malaysia, -- Faulty interceptor pumps at the Shell refinery here caused more than 3,000 litres of kerosene to overflow into monsoon drains in nearby Kampung Leleh and Kampung Paya as well as Pantai Samudera, about 4km from Port Dickson town, yesterday.
Until late evening, cleaning up operations involving more than 50 Shell personnel and Pimmag Sdn Bhd - a private company appointed by oil companies operating in the district to act in the case of oil spillage - are still collecting remains of the oil from the affected waterways.
The State Department of Environment, meanwhile, has placed its officers on standby to monitor the cleaning-up exercise which began after the villagers complained of the spillage.
Booms had been placed at several locations to prevent more kerosene from being swept into the open sea which is about 2km away from the spillage area.
Checks by the New Straits Times today revealed a strong kerosene smell coming from the affected waterways.
Armed with canvasses and plastic bags, the personnel also brought along hoes and other digging equipment to facilitate cleaning up of the monsoon drains. At the rivermouth of Kampung Leleh, a yellow boom was placed prevent the oil from drifting into the sea.
Saying that legal action would be taken against Shell for polluting the environment and waterways, State DOE director Ismail Ithnin said a report on the incident from Shell Malaysia stated that the spillage occurred at 5am due to faulty pumps.
He said about 3,000 litres of kerosene overflowed into the waterways and that DOE officers had taken samples of the water for analysis by the Chemistry Department. "Any action, including legal proceedings to be taken against the company, will take into account other factors, including the extent of damage."
Ismail pointed out that whether the incident occurred accidentally or otherwise, legal action would still have to be taken against he company as stipulated under the law. "I had directed the company and Pimmag to continue monitoring the situation, especially Pantai Samudera, for traces of oil."
Meanwhile, Kampung Paya resident Ahmad Talib, 68, said this was the second time a spillage had occurred. "The first one in the 1970s was worse, with fire reported along with the affected waterways."
Villagers who lost their crops in the fire were compensated by Shell. "I just do not understand why this thing happened again. Shell should have learnt its lesson by now."
Ahmad, whose house is less than one metre away from the Kampung Paya monsoon drain, said he could get the strong smell of kerosene since 7am.
"When the headman, Hud Adnan, complained to the refinery, their people came at about noon. It was only about 1pm that they swung into action.
"Like other villagers, I believe that some of the oil had already been swept into the sea by the time they started the operation."
Ahmad said the water surface had traces of black oil. "Many dead ikan sembilang (catfish), haruan and siakap were found during the cleaning-up operation."
Another resident, Yap Ah Soo, 62, said immediate action should have been taken to prevent the oil from being washed into the sea. "I could smell kerosene at about 7am but until noon there was no action by the company concerned."
Shell Malaysia corporate affairs advisor Lina Yap Abdullah said the amount of oil - consisting mainly of gas oil and kerosene - washed into the monsoon drains was between three and five cubic metres.
"The source of the minor overflow has been identified and immediate action has successfully been taken to contain the spill and to recover the oil. Shell has also taken steps to prevent a recurrence."
She assured the public that the leaked oil posed no threat to the safety and health of the immediate Kampung Paya community nor to the public at large and the environment in general.
She said the oil had already been recovered within 12 hours of the spill, adding that "final restoration activities" were still being undertaken.
Source: New Straits Times
|
Login | Sign Up
Home
