Tons of Slop: Shell Scrambles After Major Oil Leak in Singapore Waters

Shell has confirmed an oil leak from a pipeline at its Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore on Pulau Bukom island, with approximately 30-40 metric tonnes of slop–a mixture of oil and water–leaking into the water.

The incident, which occurred at around 5:30 a.m. on October 20, 2024, prompted a swift emergency response to contain the spill in the East Johor Strait, within Singapore’s waters.

Despite Shell’s quick response, oil sheens were detected in the water channel between Pulau Bukom Besar and Bukom Kecil by late morning. Shell deployed containment booms and anti-pollution crafts, and used dispersants to break up the oil slick.

Shell said it is coordinating its efforts with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) as well as other relevant agencies to mitigate the spill’s impact. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.

“Our priority is to ensure the safety of people and to limit environmental impact as we work on resolving this as quickly as possible,” Shell said in an official statement. The company also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the authorities and local communities in assisting with the clean-up operations.

MPA deployed seven craft equipped with dispersants together with craft from its contractor Singapore Salvage Engineers. It also deployed additional precautions to safeguard Singapore’s key ecological areas.

As of October 21, no oil has been detected at sensitive locations, including Sentosa, Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, and East Coast Park. However, preemptive measures, including the deployment of oil absorbent booms, have been taken to protect these biodiversity-sensitive coastlines.

Oil containment booms have also been installed near the seawater intake of Singapore’s desalination plants at Jurong Island and Marina East. The Public Utilities Board (PUB) is closely monitoring water quality, and operations at the plants have not been affected by the spill. As a precaution, the PUB has additionally installed containment booms at the Marina Barrage.

The leak has raised concerns among businesses and waterfront companies in the area. Authorities have advised companies on Jurong Island and in the western region to take precautionary measures. While there have been no reports of oil sightings affecting local fish farms, the Singapore Food Agency remains in contact with farm operators to ensure vigilance in the coming days.

Shell has also informed authorities in Indonesia and Malaysia to monitor for any potential oil sightings along their coastlines, though no cross-border impacts have been reported so far.

The incident comes as authorities are responding to another incident in Singapore waters involving a fire in the funnel of the tanker Med Atlantic. You can find details of that incident here.

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