Oil leak at Shell’s Pulau Bukom refinery contained, clean-up completed, says Singapore govt agencies

SINGAPORE, Dec 30 — An oil leak at Shell’s refinery on Pulau Bukom has been contained, with clean-up operations successfully completed, according to a joint statement issued by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), the National Parks Board (NParks), and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) on Saturday.

The leak, attributed to a suspected fault in an oil processing unit, resulted in a few tonnes of refined oil products being discharged along with cooling water.

The incident was first reported on the morning of December 26, with Shell alerting authorities later that day.

Containment measures, including the deployment of oil-absorbent booms and dispersants, were promptly put in place at the discharge channel. Additional booms were installed as a precaution at Sisters’ Islands Marine Park and Sentosa.

“Initial assessments on Dec 26 determined the scale of oil sheens to be minor, with no risk to public safety or environmentally sensitive areas, given the containment measures Shell had implemented,” the agencies said.

Shell halted operations at the affected processing unit on December 27, effectively stopping further discharge into the cooling water channel.

In response to Shell’s request for assistance, MPA deployed three additional patrol craft to expedite clean-up efforts.

By December 28, the agencies confirmed that no oil sheens or patches were visible near Pulau Bukom or Sentosa, and Sentosa’s beaches remained open for water activities.

“No sightings of oil sheens or oil patches have been detected in the waters off Sentosa, and its beaches remain open for water activities,” the agencies stated.

Shell is continuing efforts to identify the exact source of the leak, while NEA and MPA have launched investigations into the incident.

Authorities have stated that action will be taken if any lapses or wrongdoing are uncovered.

“NEA is investigating the incident with MPA, and actions will be taken if any wrongdoing or lapse is discovered,” the agencies said.

In a separate statement, Shell pledged full cooperation with the authorities.

“We continue to cooperate with the authorities on the investigations, and learn from this incident to improve our safety performance,” Shell stated.