The spill, reported on Jan 25, originated from an underwater pipeline leak. The pipeline was owned and operated by Thailand-based Star Petroleum Refining (PLC) company that reported the incident in late January. The incident was said to have spilled around 40,000 to 50,000 litres of oil into the ocean. Clean up efforts are underway to deal with the crude oil slick at sea and along beaches on the mainland. This is however not the first time that this has happened, as Thailand has recorded 200 oil spills in the past century. Environmental groups have called on Thailand's government to transition the country away from oil and gas to better implement preventative measures to avoid future disasters.
That is however not the worst part of the oil spill, as the pipe that has leaked the oil is near Khao Laem Ya-Koh Samet National Park. This national park is designated for its coral reef and seagrass beds, and it only lies 25 kilometres from the sire of the spill. While the company has said it had quickly brought the lead under control by Jan 26, it has so far failed to confirm the total volume of crude oil that spilled into the ocean. "The information about the volume of oil spilled has been inconsistent," Tara Buakiamsri, country director of Greenpeace Thailand. But the scale of the oil slick on the surface of the water several days indicates that the volume of the oil spill must have emitted more the 50,000 Litres. As the oil spill reaches 16-square-kilometers in between the mainland and Koh Samet the further long-term impact on marine ecosystem and local livelihoods becomes more apparent. The immediate aftermath of the leak will affect wildlife and the national park. Royal Thai Navy clean ups groups used vessels equipped with chemicals to disperse the slick and spray. This however only breaks down the oil into smaller droplets and doesn't help the clean-up as more and more oil spills onto the shoreside. Further Reading: https://news.mongabay.com/2022/02/gulf-of-thailand-oil-pipeline-leak-threatens-reef-rich-marine-park/#:~:text=The%20spill%2C%20reported%20late%20on,oil%20leaked%20into%20the%20ocean.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorThe OMG Newsletter is run by the members of the service group. Topics are taken from the whole world by our researchers and formed into concise articles of our own. We invite experts to bring facts into our educational newsletter, and special contributions of students to showcase their ocean themed comic strip, so that it can be enjoyed by various age groups. Archives
January 2022
Categories
All
|