A leak in the 920-millimeter High Vanadium Fuel Oil line in the industrial zone of Matanzas has resulted in an oil spill into the sea, reported the state-run Periódico Girón.
The spill, detected at 5:15 PM on Friday, July 12, was estimated to be between 30 and 32 cubic meters of fuel, with 6 to 8 cubic meters reaching the bay. The incident occurred when a failure in the pipeline caused the containment basin to overflow, detailed the report on Facebook.
The Civil Defense in the province, along with specialists from the Fuel Marketing Company and CITMA, inspected the shoreline near the spill area and the beaches inside the bay on Saturday morning to assess the situation. However, they stated that no incrustations or oil stains have been detected.
Among the measures taken, approximately 24 cubic meters of oil were removed from the containment basin. Additionally, efforts are underway to restore the basin area and the coastal margins near the pier, using rocky material to facilitate the extraction of embedded oil.
According to specialists, the process is expected to conclude today, weather permitting. The regime added that an operation is being prepared to apply another cleaning technique previously used in past spills in the province, once the manual extraction is completed. A sediment monitoring will also be conducted after the cleanup operations to identify any potential alterations in the bay.
In April, the authorities in Matanzas were investigating a toxic substance spill in the Bay of Cárdenas, with possible environmental implications for the area. The official press reported that it involved "ballast residue from a disused tank located along the Cárdenas coastline."
In 2019, another significant spill involving 268,000 liters of fuel oil was reported in the Calimete municipality of Matanzas, near the Jesús Rabí sugar mill, following a failure in a fuel tank supplying the distillery next to the sugar processing center. In 2018, another oil spill was reported in Matanzas Bay caused by a ship unloading oil at Pier 1 of the Supertanker Terminal in the industrial zone of Matanzas.
Matanzas Bay Oil Spill: Key Questions Answered
Given the recent oil spill in Matanzas Bay, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers to provide a clearer understanding of the situation.
What caused the oil spill in Matanzas Bay?
The spill was caused by a failure in the 920-millimeter High Vanadium Fuel Oil line, which led to the overflow of the containment basin.
What measures are being taken to clean up the spill?
Authorities have removed approximately 24 cubic meters of oil from the containment basin and are working to restore the area using rocky material. They are also preparing to apply another cleaning technique and will monitor sediments after the cleanup.
Has there been any environmental impact detected so far?
No incrustations or oil stains have been detected so far, according to the Civil Defense and other specialists.