EMA investigates new oil spill

The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has confirmed it is investigating an oil spill which occurred approximately six nautical miles offshore in the Soldado North Field, Gulf of Paria on Thursday.

In a media release, the EMA said it was notified by state-owned oil company Petrotrin about the spill which emanated from its Trinmar operations, from Cluster 21 to platform 14 in its Soldado North field. The source of the spill was reportedly above water.

Petrotrin, the release stated, was informed that the EMA initiated activities to contain residual crude oil escaping from a pressurised pipeline, while assets were mobilised to contain crude oil that spilled in the water. Trinmar officials were also carrying out assessments along the southwestern peninsula to determine whether there was any residual oil on the shoreline.

The authority also urged members of the public and marine interests to report any sightings of crude oil in the area by contacting the EMA’s Emergency Hotline at 680-9588 or e-mail via complaints@ema.co.tt.

On August 1, deposits of oil were spotted along the shorelines at the Point Sable and Carat Shed beaches in La Brea. On April 23, a leak was detected on one of the Fuel Oil storage tanks at Petrotrin’s bond in Pointe-a-Pierre with an estimated 300 barrels spilling into the nearby Gulf of Paria.