Calls are being made for Heritage Petroleum to remove or replace a 16-inch transmission oil trunk pipeline which runs through Oilwell Road, Massahood Junction in Fyzabad.
The call comes after an oil leak developed yesterday morning, the third to have occurred in 15 months, which forced the evacuation of one family.
For most of the day, crews from Heritage Petroleum’s Trunk Pipeline Surveillance department scoured the area, mopping up thick pools of crude oil as it flowed through drains and vegetation. The spill was exacerbated by heavy rains.
Resident Sareeta Bridgelal told Guardian Media she immediately left her home with her daughter after she realised the line developed a leak.
Bridgelal’s husband Nadeem Ali said this was the third leak to have developed on the same pipeline within 15 months.
“Last year August we had an oil spill. In May we had a second leak on the same line and now this is a third. This morning my neighbour called and said there was oil closer to the recreation ground. I relocated my family because my daughter had some adverse allergies from the last oil spill so we moved out,” Ali said.
He added: “Heritage came on site and did a cleanup and isolated the line.”
Meanwhile, Siparia Mayor Doodnath Mayrhoo visited the area and spoke to personnel from Heritage. Mayrhoo said in June, Heritage wrote to the Borough Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer Ann Hosein requesting that action be taken against six homeowners who have allegedly encroached on the pipeline wayleave under the Municipal Corporation’s Act Section 163.
However, Mayrhoo said these families have been living in the area for generations and before any action is taken, there should be proper compensation and dialogue with the residents.
“Earlier this year, we had another leak. It seems the line is severely compromised and Heritage needs to take some form of action to replace that line. In the short term, we are asking if the line could be replaced. I am recommending that we relocate from this area,” Maryhoo said.
He noted that Heritage had asked the Borough Corporation to relocate the residents who live near the pipeline.
“We cannot take that decision as a council to remove persons. People have been residing here for 20 years, 30 years and there has to be consultation by Heritage who has to give some sort of compensation to assist these people to relocate. You cannot just serve a notice on someone and give them 14 days to move when they have been living there all their life,” Mayrhoo said.
He added: “Today I will be writing Heritage to ask them to relocate that line and to take steps to properly secure that line and prevent this from reoccurring in the future.”
Meanwhile, the residents named in the letter denied that they had encroached on the pipeline’s wayleave.
The residents said Heritage started serving preaction protocol letters earlier this year. Some of the fences identified as breaches were built since the 1960s. The residents say they have sought legal advice.
Heritage team onsite
Heritage, in a statement, said it observed a minor leak on a section of the 16-inch pipeline in the Massahood area.
It said it notified the relevant authorities, isolated the line, and immediately dispatched a team to repair and clean up the mixture of oil and water. The pipeline has since been repaired and clean-up operations are in progress. Heritage said its team will remain onsite and will continue to manage the response until the clean-up is complete.