A sudden storm off the coast of Thailand caused a supertanker to disconnect from an offshore pipeline late at night on June 5, leading to a crude oil spill of up to 20,000 litres into the Gulf of Thailand. Cleanup operations involving several government agencies and private companies began immediately and are still ongoing.

The Phoenix Jamnagar, a Singapore-registered supertanker owned by Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and chartered to Thai Oil Public Company Limited, was unloading crude oil at SBM 2 (Single Buoy Mooring) off the coast of Si Racha District in Chonburi Province, when severe weather struck the area shortly before 1:00 am.

High waves and strong winds hit unexpectedly, activating the ship’s breakaway coupling system, which is designed to disconnect automatically during emergencies to protect the ship and the offshore pipeline. However, the disconnection caused a leak in the pipeline system, and the oil spilled into the sea during the 30-minute process of shutting down the transfer.

The National Maritime Interests Protection Center (ThaiMecc) initially estimated the spill at 10,000 litres, but later updates doubled the figure to 20,000 litres of crude oil, which equals around 4 to 5 tons. The Marine Department confirmed that the incident took place at coordinates 13°04.225′ N, 100°46.815′ E, and the oil slick was drifting southward at 1 to 2 knots.

A visual inspection revealed a 10-meter by 10-meter oil slick, which spread across an area of 20 to 30 square kilometers outside the immediate containment zone.

The Marine Department, acting under the Prime Minister’s Office Regulations on Water Pollution Management from Oil and Chemicals (B.E. 2565), issued an urgent request for cooperation to the Secretary-General of the Center for the Protection of National Maritime Interests.

The Department assigned Ms. Jittima Suthiphotiphong, an environmental specialist, as the coordinator for the cleanup operations and confirmed that the MWA (Marine Water Authority) was overseeing pollution control and response efforts.

A two-tier containment boom system was quickly deployed around the spill, an inner circle at 300 meters and an outer circle at 600 meters. A skimmer device was also installed within the boom zone to suction the oil off the surface, with cleanup targeted for completion by Friday afternoon.

Outside the containment boom, Thai Oil, along with Bangchak, PTT, the Royal Thai Navy (HTMS Tachai – Navy Area 1), the Chonlatharanurak team (Harbour Department), and a high-speed boat (SRC 4008) were mobilized. The response included manual water stirring techniques and aerial deployment of oil dispersants via Navy helicopters.

Several senior officials boarded Harbour Master Patrol Vessel 804 to assess the spill, including the Chonburi Governor, the Director-General of the Harbour Department, the Chief of Staff of the 1st Naval Area, and senior representatives from the Chonburi Disaster Prevention Office.

A temporary spill response coordination center was set up in Thai Oil’s meeting room. The command center is expected to remain operational for 1 to 3 days, coordinating ongoing efforts between the Royal Thai Navy, Marine Police, Thai Oil, and other involved agencies.

Meanwhile, the Marine Traffic Control and Safety Center worked with VTS Sriracha to issue warnings to passing vessels to avoid the affected area and ensure navigational safety.

Officials confirmed that no visible damage occurred to the Phoenix Jamnagar or the pipeline structure. The breakaway mechanism performed as expected under the emergency conditions, and authorities believe the spill was accidental, caused by the sudden and severe weather.

By 3:10 PM on June 6, aerial surveys conducted by the Royal Thai Navy reported no visible oil slicks in the affected area. At 4:19 PM, Thai Oil’s operations center reported that the situation was under control, and the Tharanurak Water Department vessel had returned to its dock at Koh Sichang. Teams plan to continue monitoring the area with another inspection scheduled for the next morning.

Reference: National Maritime Interests Protection Center (ThaiMecc)

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