San Pascual, Batangas—The barge containing 2000 kilos of Industrial Fuel Oil (IFO) collides with a ferry plying the Batangas-Mindoro route spilling an estimated 19,000 liters of the IFO at the Batangas Bay area fronting the Chevron Import Terminal. Within minutes, the oil spill was contained and the Verde Island Passage was saved from total disaster.
Unbelievably fast?
That was the first scenario at the third Industry Emergency RespOnse (IERO) conducted by the oil industry players and members of Philippine Institute of Petroleum (PIP) held at the Chevron Terminal in this town on July 30.
For the country’s major oil companies, the exercise is also a statement in their shared aims of promoting safety at the workplace, which also helps protect the environment.
“The worst tragedy that can happen to any company is the loss of life of an employee at work. Ensuring safety in any company is putting it on top of the list,” Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said, in his speech at the IERO program before the exercises.
The exercise was timely held after a series of fuel-related spills at sea including that of the Gulf of Mexico, Cavite province, and Calatagan town in this province. Nasugbu’s coal leak recently has also affected the quality of drinking water in the town. July is the country's National Disaster Safety Consiousness Month.
The IERO exercise aims to prevent man-made disasters such as oil leaks and fire inside petroleum terminals and refineries, and if such happens, prevent it from worsening as fast as possible.
“The exercise today is not about just safety, but also about the environment. There’s an accountability and responsibility in all of us, especially the people involved in these facilities,” Almendras added.
According to Jim Meynink, PIP Trustee and Country Chairman of Chevron Philippines, Inc., whose Batangas Terminal hosted the event, the IERO used to be a contest among the country’s major oil players such as Chevron Philippines, Inc., Liquigaz Philippines Corporation, Petron Corporation, the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) Philippines Corporation, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, and Total Philippines Corporation. But now, on its 3rd year, the IERO was conducted as an exercise and focus more on safety.
"We must be prepared, both as individual companies as well as a collective body, to prevent and respond to any fire or rescue emergency situation that the companies may face at any of their terminals, depots and installations. These efforts augment the members’ constant, through-the-line commitment to public safety. Through this event, we hope to get other stakeholders closely involved and share our safety objectives," Sally Monteiro, executive director of the PIP said.
After the program, the representatives of PIP, guests, and the media were brought to the event site at the Chevron Import Terminal where the Oil Spill Response Demonstration was held.
The demonstration responding to different levels of oil spills such as the operational type or 1 to 10,000 liters of spillage (tier 1), larger spill in the vicinity of the company and community (tier 2) which means a spill of up to 1 million liters, and largest spill level (tier 3) with spillage of more than one million liters and requires international assistance.
Tiers 2 and 3 already requires help from the national agencies such as the Philippine Coastguard, Oil Spill Response Organization (OSRO) like the WISE-Philippines and international OSROS such the Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL).
The Waterborne Industry Spill Equipment-Philippines (WISE) is a collaborative effort of the oil industry players for Tier 2 responose.
WISE-Philippines showed how contain an oil spill using their containment booms. A skimmer was also showed as one of the mechanical devices used to remove the oil from the surface of the water. The use of dispersants to break liquid substances such as oil into small droplets was also discussed.
Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste, who was there to witness the event also reminded the participants and guests about the importance of keeping the Batangas Bay clean.
“Events like these are important for Batangas Bay as it is the host of the Verde Island Passage, which is the center of the center of marine biodiversity of the world,” Leviste said.
After the demonstration, the crowd transferred to the next event area where the
Open Tank Fire and Flange Fire Fighting, Ethanol Fire Response, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, and Emergency Rescue and Transfer exercises were held. Here, representatives from PIP member companies showcased the best practice industry techniques and hardwares in resolving different emergency situations.
Also present at the event was former Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board Chairman Alberto Suansing. The program was hosted by Mich Cruz from Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation and Wilmark Tamayo from Liquigaz Phils. Corp. (Mei Magsino, with report from Ardent)
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