Coast Guard scales down containment operations
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has scaled down its containment operations on the oil spill in Guimaras.
PCG on scene commander Harold Jarder said yesterday that their operations are now confined to within the area where the tanker Solar 1 sunk last Aug. 11.
"We continue spraying oil dispersants, but only at the site. Not like before where our vessels would spray dispersants in the surrounding areas," he stressed.
Two of the five tugboats helping in spraying oil dispersants have also been decommissioned already, said Jarder.
The modification in PCG's operations followed what authorities observed was the trickling down of the oil leakage from Solar 1.
Rafael Coscolluela, incident commander of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC), said yesterday that what is happening now is a 'minimal release' of oil from the sunken tanker.
"Hence, there is no more need for the services of the two tankers," Jarder remarked.
In a related development, Coscolluela said that the government prefers that the remaining oil in the tanker's containers be siphoned off instead of refloating the ship and the oil.
"That appears to be the preferred option," Coscolluela noted. "The remote offloading system appears to be the option of choice."
He expects the Task Force Solar Oil Spill to make the declaration in Manila at the latest today on what to do with the tanker, which lies under 600 meters off the southern coast of Guimaras island.
If a decision is made to siphon the remaining oil, it will take about a month to mobilize and deploy the ships to the site, and two more months to completely offload the oil from the ship, Coscolluela explained.
There is also the possibility that the PCG will contract Norwegian salvage company Framo for the job.
According to Jarder, at least two ships will be needed: one to siphon off the oil to another vessel.
"It's very complicated. It involves high tech equipment," he said.
In at least four communities, however, clean up operations have been suspended because of problems regarding the protective equipment of persons involved in the shoreline clean up.
Coscolluela said that Governor JC Rahman Nava and Nueva Valencia mayor Diosdado Gonzaga suspended the clean up operations because the proper protective equipment (PPEs) are not enough for all the oil spill cleaners. The Department of Health has also issued a directive recommending levels B or C protective equipment for those involved in the clean up. Authorities have adopted a 'no PPE, no work' policy in the shoreline operations. This means that those without the PPE will not be allowed to work.
According to the DOH advisory, level B protective equipment, which is for those exposed to hydrogen sulfide, consists of a chemical-resistant overall, gloves, boots, face shield and air respirator. Level C, which is for those not exposed to hydrogen sulfide, is much like level B, only that there is no air respirator.
Coscolluela said that if they were strictly to follow DOH's advisory, it would be too costly, and there might be no more need for higher level of protection because the hydrogen sulfide levels may already be within acceptable levels.
There has been no clean up activity going on in the barangays of San Antonio, Lucmayan, Tando and Lapaz in Nueva Valencia since Saturday, said Coscolluela.
But Coscolluela expects the clean up operations to resume today or tomorrow.
So far, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said that they have not yet declared any area as totally cleared of the oil spill.
This is because tests indicate 'abnormal levels.'
Tests are still ongoing, so far the DENR has not issued any clean bill of health, Coscolluela said.
They have devised a system for clearing the affected barangays based on tests conducted on the quality of drinking and coastal waters; soil, ambient air; and marine life.
When the DENR gives a rating of green for all the tests, it is only then that that barangay is declared cleared of the oil spill, Coscolluela explained.