April 27, 2017: Petrotrin has established a team to investigate the cause of the leak that occurred on one of its tanks on Sunday, 2017 March 23. The team includes personnel from Petrotrin’s Health Safety and Environment (HSE) and Operations Departments along with a representative from the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU).
Sunday’s spill occurred on land in the tank farm area, located on the north-western side of its operations and considerable distance away from the Guaracara River. Containment and recovery efforts are focused in the marine area of the Company’s Port operations at Pointe-a-Pierre, with no impact on the Guaracara River and neighbouring communities at this time.
In order to safeguard the shorelines and neighbouring communities and as a contingency measure in the event of rainfall, additional containment booms have been deployed. Only cleaning solutions and materials approved by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries are being used to treat with the material that entered the marine environment.
While the leaked hydrocarbon material has been following a westerly trajectory, Petrotrin is cognizant of the fact that changes in tidal conditions may result in some impacting the southern shorelines. As a result, precautionary measures are being undertaken. Working in tandem with its clean-up and recovery efforts, the Company has implemented its Oiled Wildlife Management Plan. Searches for birds and other wildlife impacted by the spill are continuing and those identified are being rescued and rehabilitated in established centres in Trinidad.
Petrotrin appeals to concerned citizens with information about oiled wildlife and oil-sightings to contact its 24-hour emergency response hotline - 658-SAFE (7233). Images and videos may also be shared to facilitate timely action via petrotrinsocialmedia@gmail.com.
Clean-up operations will continue around the clock until the situation is resolved.
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Issued at 6:30 p.m.
Corporate Communications Department
April 26, 2017