Volunteer staffs of PTT Global Chemical Plc (PTT), along with Thailand Navy personnel, are still working to clean up the remaining oil slick that washed up on the beach of Koh Samet Island. The crew placed an absorbent boom along the beach of Prao bay in order to prevent the remaining oil slick to go back into the sea.
About 50,000 liters (300 barrels) of crude oil poured into the Gulf of Thailand on Saturday, July 27, 2013, during a transfer of crude from an oil tanker, through the single point mooring (SPM), to a pipeline for delivery to the PTT Global Chemical Plc refinery. The leak occurred in a 16-in diameter pipeline at the SPM, located 20 km southeast of the Map Ta Phut seaport, southeast of Bangkok.
PTT estimated that about 5,000 liters remain to be cleaned.
Tourists on Koh Samet island were warned to stay away from the beach as workers labored to clean the sand and remove the oil from the water.
Satit Pituthecha, a Democrat member of Parliament for Rayong, said that significant damage caused by the leak could take up to six months to repair.
Wichit Chartpaisit, governor of Rayong province, said that about 200 soldiers were deployed to help clean up the spill and 300 more will provide back-up. He added that the task would take some time, but did not indicate how much.
PTT Global Chemical Pcl is part of state-controlled PTT Pcl, Thailand's biggest energy firm.
Image courtesy of PTT Global Plc
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