Two-week delay seen in siphoning of oil from sunken tanker

TRAGEDY AFTER THE STORM The Terranova sinking on July 25, two days before another fuel tanker sank also in the waters of Bataan province. —PHOTO FROM PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD

It may take at least two weeks before the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) can begin siphoning the industrial fuel oil from MT Terranova even after sealing all of the sunken tanker’s valves and high-level alarm pipes.

The PCG said on Thursday that the initial capping bags placed on the vessel’s valves must be replaced with metal caps to avoid a “disastrous oil spill” during the siphoning operations and in case of bad weather.

According to PCG commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan, it will take seven days to make the metal caps, while installing them will take another seven days.

“With the above developments, the siphoning will be moved to not later than two weeks from now,” Gavan said.

“This due diligence measure will however afford us with better control to reduce to the barest minimum the possibility of [a] disastrous oil spill during the conduct of siphoning activity,” he added.

Control measures

Although all of Terranova’s valves have been sealed, the PCG reported spotting “very thin oil sheens” in the area where the tanker sank.

“Very thin oil sheens are still present, but control measures are in place, including oil spill booms laid, skimmers on site and oil dispersants being employed, as necessary,” it said.

The PCG also reported that the working barge and tanker to which the siphoned oil would be transferred were already on site.

Oil sheens were previously spotted at the shorelines of the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Cavite after the tanker sank on July 25 in rough waters off Limay town in Bataan. The vessel, owned by Shogun Ships Co., Inc., was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil at the time. One of its 17 crew members was killed.

On the other hand, the oil recovery operation for MV Mirola 1, which ran aground off Mariveles, Bataan, on July 31, already started on Thursday, the PCG said.

This was the third vessel to run into trouble in the waters off Bataan last week after MT Terranova and MTKR Jason Bradley, raising fears of widespread environmental damage in Manila Bay and nearby waters due to an oil spill.

Jason Bradley, which had a cargo of 5.5 tons of diesel, capsized on July 23 due to bad weather. The PCG earlier said it was preparing charges against the owner for not immediately reporting the sinking. In a statement, the PCG said its personnel were manually scooping the spilled oil from Mirola 1 and transferring it to large drums to be taken to a waste disposal facility.

Poison management

Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Albert Domingo, meanwhile, urged doctors looking after people who were exposed to the oil leak to seek help from their toxicologists regarding poison management.

He said that those experiencing symptoms of exposure to oil leaks ranging from nausea, eye irritation, and increased blood pressure to headache, skin irritation, blisters, vomiting, and diarrhea should go to the nearest health facility or call the DOH hotline at 1555.

Health professionals requiring referral to specialists may contact the East Avenue Medical Center Poison Control at 0923-2711183, 8928-0611 local 707 or the Philippine General Hospital National Poison Management and Control Center at 0966-7189904 or 8524-1078. —WITH A REPORT FROM DEXTER CABALZA