Oil flow from overturned vessel off Tobago stops

AN underwater survey of the overturned vessel – the Gulfstream – which remains on the seabed off the coast of Cove in Tobago has shown all oil has stopped leaking from the vessel, a month after it was discovered.

A release from the Energy Ministry said on March 7 that confirmation came after the underwater survey by a team from T&T Salvage/QT Environmental.

This team told ministry officials and those from the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) that the compartments of the vessel from which hydrocarbon fluid was leaking are now filled with seawater above the leak point, effectively blocking the flow of hydrocarbons.

The team is developing a plan to assess the remaining product on board with the aim of ultimately removing it.

For the hydrocarbon recovery effort, two additional NOFI current busters and a rapid deployment skimming system (RDSS) were deployed. The RDSS recovers concentrated hydrocarbons from the fluid collected using the NOFI current buster.

The release said this approach improves the efficiency of hydrocarbon recovery, since it eliminates excessive waste handling due to seawater.

Regular overflights of the response are being done in partnership with the Air Guard to provide insight to the onwater recovery of oil.

The technical staff at the ministry continues to collaborate with T&T Salvage, QT Environmental, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), the Occupational Safety and Health Authority and Agency (OSHA), the Air Guard, Coast Guard and other stakeholders on containment and salvaging strategies.