SINGAPORE: On Monday ( October 21 ), Singapore agencies announced that they are collaborating closely with Shell, a British petrochemical company, to clean up a mixture of oil and water that leaked into the ocean off Bukom Island.
About 30 to 40 metric tonnes of” slop” was leaked into the water from Shell’s land-based pipeline on Sunday, according to a media statement on Monday evening.  ,
The companies claimed in a mutual media statement on Monday night that no other oil sightings had occurred as of 3pm besides the leaky oil in the Pulau Bukom and Bukom Kecil channels.
The joint statement was issued by Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore ( MPA ), National Environment Agency ( NEA ), National Parks Board ( NParks ), PUB, Sentosa Development Corporation ( SDC ), Singapore Food Agency ( SFA ), Singapore Land Authority ( SLA ), JTC, and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA ).
As a precautionary measure, a recent buster method was deployed by the MPA off Changi at the gate to the East Johor Strait to obtain oil slick, if sighted, and avoid possible spread beyond Singapore’s port waters, according to the statement.
Another “preventive estimate” has been put in place to the north of Singapore, it continued.
While no petrol has been observed at Sentosa, Sisters ‘ Islands Marine Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, East Coast Park and West Coast Park thus far, the authorities have pre-emptively deployed fuel porous boom at these places.
This includes the trees and various important habitats at the Marsh Garden at West Coast Park, as well as important habitats at East Coast Park, as well as the lagoons at Sisters ‘ Islands Marine Park, Berlayer Creek, and the Rocky Shore at Labrador Nature Reserve.
The switch walls of Sentosa Cove have been closed, with crude porous boom deployed
” Also, deflective boom will become increasingly deployed across the important areas of Sentosa, including the three shores which now remain open for land-based and waters actions”.
The agencies also said there has been no fuel observations at Kusu, Seringat, St John’s, Lazarus isle, and Pulau Hantu.
The Singapore Land Authority said it would continue to examine whether oil-absorbent surges would be necessary at the ponds of these islands.
The NEA also issued a “precautionary measure” warning to residents of the government on Monday regarding swimming and other major call waters activities at the beaches of East Coast Park, Kusu, St John’s, and Lazarus islands.
Near the Jurong Island Desalination Plant and Marina East Desalination Plant, which are the closest locations to the oil leak location, no oil has been found. The seawater intake at PUB’s desalination plants is closely monitored by the national water agency.
” Seawater quality readings remain normal, and the plants ‘ operations are not affected. As a precautionary measure, PUB has also deployed oil containment booms across Marina Barrage”, the statement said.
JTC has advised businesses on Jurong Island and those with a waterfront presence in the western region to be on the lookout and take precautionary measures as needed.
The oil spill has not yet had an impact on any fish farms. Farmers have been in contact with SFA and has advised them to stay alert and take precautionary measures as necessary.
The Indonesian and Malaysian authorities have been informed of the incident and have been warned to watch for any oil sightings along their respective coastlines, according to the joint statement.
” Investigations into the incident are currently taking place.”