Clark Pipeline announces 4-day oil leak in Bataan clamped

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=890386
• Tuesday, May 31, 2016

(PNA), LAP/ZST/EBE/PS

DINALUPIHAN, Bataan, May 31 (PNA) -- The Clark Pipeline and Depot Company, Inc. (CPDCI) announced Monday that the four-day oil leak here was clamped as the municipal mayor said she will call for a joint meeting to study what is best to be done, it being the third incident in the town.

"Nai-clamp na leak at maayos na (It was already clamped, the leak was fixed),” CPDCI spokesman Darwin Chan said.

He said that the damage on the pipeline was not from wear and tear but from external factor, meaning, a third party although not intentionally caused.

He said the breakage might have happened during the construction of an access road in the area.

Chan said that although the pipes are already 50 years old, these are still good and will not break if not for external factors.

"Kumpleto tests na ginagawa at OK pa pipeline na tatagal pa ng 10 to 20 years (We hold regular checks on the pipeline and our tests show it will still last for 10 to 20 years),” he said.

The Americans constructed reportedly in 1966 the 94-kilometer long pipeline from its former naval base in Subic passing through Dinalupihan and some towns in Pampanga to Clark Airbase in Angeles City, Pampanga.

They operated it for their fuel requirements until they left the country in 1992.

Chan said they temporarily stopped operation when they learned of the oil leak discovered Friday by residents in the river below a bridge in Barangay Luakan in Dinalupihan.

"We are conducting pressure tests to make sure that there is no more leak,” he said. He said that what leaked was unleaded gasoline that emitted bad odor.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Ariel Fabia, operations officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Dinalupihan, confirmed that diesel started passing the pipeline at 2 a.m. Monday.

"Dilikado ang unleaded gasoline (unleaded gasoline is more flammable),” the fireman said.

Dinalupihan Mayor Maria Angela Garcia said Clark Pipeline immediately acted when informed of the oil leak and placed containment materials.

She said that aside from oil spill booms, sandbags and thick water lilies helped block the spread of oil in the river.

"We are hoping that the effect on the river and surroundings is only minimal because it was acted upon soon but we are still waiting for the results of laboratory tests on water samples,” she said.

Like Chan, the mayor said the probable cause of the oil leak was external factor. She said that this was due to lack of coordination.

Garcia said that there was lack of proper coordination between the Clark Pipeline and firms doing public works projects along the pipeline.

She said that this was the third oil leak in Dinalupihan. The first was in Barangay San Pablo, in San Ramon last February 4, and this time in Luakan.

"We will just finish this Luakan incident and I will call a joint meeting among involved national agencies, Clark Pipeline and municipal and provincial consultants to know what is best to be done so it will not happen again,” Garcia said.

She said that she has not yet received any complaint from farmers.

"Kung meron, agad nating aaksiyunan ito (If there are complaints, we will immediately attend to it),” the mayor added.