7,000 barrels of liquid removed after Guayaguayare oil spill

SOME 7,000 barrels of fluids have been removed from the site of a February 11 oil spill in the Ferrier Circular, Guayaguayare operations of the Heritage Petroleum Company.

Affected residents who complained about the air quality in the aftermath are now breathing a sigh of relief, as the clean-up is said to be 60 per cent completed.

The company’s CEO Arlene Chow and leadership team visited Guayaguayare on March 5 to meet with residents to review the progress of the remedial work.

Heritage said in a statement that its incident management team is continuing its cleanup and rehabilitation at the site.

It said the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI) and the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) have been kept apprised of the clean-up.

The police and fire services are providing daily assistance and the company said it is in daily contact with the residents, MP, councillor and village council, providing updates.

The leak, in a ten-inch pipeline along Ferrier Road, was discovered on February 12, affecting the heavily forested area and an inland watercourse.

Heritage said it immediately isolated and repaired the leak and began clean-up and rehabilitation. A local contractor and 85 residents were hired a day later to assist.

Because the affected area was densely forested, initial access was only possible on foot, slowing down the early clean-up efforts. But Heritage said it has "now cleared roads to provide access to tractors and heavy equipment."

So far, it said, "Over 7,000 barrels of fluid comprising 95 per cent water and five per cent hydrocarbons have been removed from five collection points along the riverbank.”

The liquid has been transported to the Guayaguayare Tank Farm.

Heritage said the onsite team has concentrated its efforts close to the village to reduce inconvenience to the residents, and has also provided welfare services.

It also said: “The conservation group Serpentarium was engaged in the wildlife conservation efforts. Animals are being rehabilitated and relocated where necessary. The Forestry Division has also been listing all trees which were cut.”

Further to Mayaro MP Rushton Paray's call for air-quality testing, Heritage said that is being continuously done, using an independent contractor, at sites both close to the oil-spill site and in the community. Initially, the tests revealed very low levels (parts per billion) of hydrocarbon vapours. From March 1, the testsre said to have registered no detectable levels of toxic vapour and acceptable oxygen levels.

Residents have also reportedly said the odour has gone, but Heritage is reportedly continuing to monitor the quality around the clock.

Noise monitoring in response to complaints by some residents is said to have recorded levels below the lower limits of the noise pollution control rules.

Heritage said alternative accommodation had been offered to three families who complained about the odour and noise, but only two of the families took up the offer and were relocated.

Satisfied with the dissipation of the odour, the third family said relocation was no longer necessary.

To stave off any medical conditions developing, the company said it had also contracted an ambulance service to ensure medical treatment was readily available.