It has been over a month since residents complained they were falling ill because of strong hydrocarbon fumes close to the NP Quik Shoppe in Debe. However, after extensive checks, National Petroleum (NP) has failed to find the source of the emissions. In a statement Thursday, NP said it had investigated after receiving reports of a hydrocarbon odour from some of the residents living in proximity to its NP Debe Service Station.
“NP’s HSE and maintenance crews conducted numerous tests, including air quality monitoring, water quality monitoring and pressure testing of our fuel systems. The TVOC (total volatile organic compound) or hydrocarbons level taken were well below acceptable limits in and immediately around the service station,” NP said.
The company said pressure testing of all the underground diesel, super and premium gasoline storage tanks, with associated valves and piping, was also conducted and conclusively showed that all fuel systems were secure with no leaks. “The company wants to reassure the community that we have listened to and taken action on their calls. However, we reiterate that we did not find the source of the hydrocarbon leakage at our NP Debe Service Station,” the statement said.
On July 25, business owners in Debe called on NP to find the source of the fumes, which had been lingering for more than a month. Crystal Archan, who runs three businesses opposite the Quik Shoppe, said fuel had been spilling into a drain alongside the building. She complained that residents were experiencing nausea, burning eyes and headaches. Residents also said the fumes worsened during rainy weather.
Officials of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) also conducted investigations to determine if the leak was coming from an underground tank. However, these were inconclusive.
Oil spill residents still getting help
Meanwhile, state-owned Petrotrin, in a statement, said it was continuing to provide medical care for residents affected by the July oil spill in Marabella. Petrotrin said several families were contacted through the Marabella committee for follow-up consultations which began on Thursday, but only three people responded for review and treatment.
Petrotrin said the first batch of people invited for follow-up medical consultations were pregnant mothers and children. Medical consultations were to continue yesterday between the hours of 10.30 am and noon. Several residents who were interviewed on Thursday said they were no longer experiencing fumes from the polluted Guaracara River. On July 29, slop oil spilled into the Guaracara River, affecting hundreds of residents.
The spill occurred when a low-pressure storage tank, MP 6, located on the compound of Petrotrin’s Pointe-a-Pierre refinery, ruptured and spilled more than 17,000 barrels of slop oil. The slop oil was not contained because a bond wall collapsed, causing the slop oil to seep into nearby tributaries and the Guaracara River located about a mile away. It is believed that 5,000 barrels of oil flowed into the river. The EMA said the spill could have devastating effects on the river and it planned to go to Cabinet with a proposal for funds to rehabilitate the river.