40,000 Litre Of Oil Threatens Phuket Coast As Thai Ship Capsizes

[antsrule]

BP oil spill estimated at 250,000,000 imperial gallons = more than 5 billion litres. Actual number is closer to 10 billion litres. Actual flow rate since day 1 >= 100,000 barrel per day = 4,500,000 imperial gallons per day = 200 million litres per day

Why 100,000 bpd? Because BP would only spend that money if the reservoir simulations indicated at least 100,000 bpd. No company drills in deep water to depths over 5 miles without assurance they are going to get this number. Ask their geoscientists to share their exploration information with the world. Don't count on it happening. I have worked with geoscientists on 2 of these wells in the Gulf and one in the North sea. I know what they are after and what numbers you need to sell the prospect to management. They have dumped a minimum of 500 million barrels into the Gulf, mark my words.

What if the destruction was a result of massive unexpected over pressure indicating flow rates significantly higher than the expected flow rate of 100,000 bpd?

Get rid of your stupid hydrocarbon vehicles and take public transport. I am not saying sell them, I am saying get rid of them. You that do not and point your fingers at others are drug addicts blaming the pusher, you are idiots.

And note also, the Gulf is not and will not be dead. It is just that humans may be kicked out of the Gulf food chain. If you cannot live with that, you are free to die with it.

Antsrule

[surayu]

40.000 liters of oil, that will fry about 40.000 kilos of chips....ohhh i want to puke now

[surayu]

Antsrule

Welcome to the forum

[Puccini]

I have some difficulty figuring out the Google-translated GPS coordinates but they appear to be 7° 40’ N, 98° 25’ E, which would place the sunken ship here:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118093398821998237674.00048f6dcec173d63966b&ll=7.553101,98.805542&spn=1.310975,2.113495&z=10

See where a Northwesterly wind will carry an oil spill, if there should be any.

[tjeffrutherford]

it's only a very small spill, and storm might take it in the other direction from phuket. Surely ecological damage to the coral rafs around, but not necessarily to the beaches and fishermen.

no need to panic, just authorities should prepare a plan how to contain the spill once the storm easies off. They have time to bring the equipment and the other resources from the other parts of the coast.

Yes, yes. Certainly. Hmph, hmm. Nothing to worry about, I say as I sit on my ass on the bar stool. Just a little coral, some small fish-like creatures. There's WAY too many of them to go around. Sure, the ... what was it again? ... oh, yeah, the authorities ... !! (you virgin, you like arrived in Thailand 20 minutes ago??) will surely be on the job ... yeah, after the storm "easies" off ... and they're done with their drinks and naps and collecting fines. I'm sure they'll be right on it.

"even if the spill hit the coast it might be away from phuket"

Yeah, it might just hit Krabi or Phang-gnan. And f@$% them, eh? Who cares!!??

[elcent]

Cant blame that one on the foreigners!!!

You sure? Where was the ship built?

(coming up next, fault finding)

[brahmburgers]

According to Phuketwan Marine Police believe that the 40,000 of fuel are still sealed inside the vessel and only the fuel from the engines has leaked so far.

Somebody will have to try and pump as much as possible out of the containers, before they start leaking. Not the easiest task from a depth of about 30m, but for sure possible. Let's hope the containers are at least of a half decent standard...

Oil spill numbers (liters / gallons) are notoriously under-reported - particularly when news first hits. It happened with the recent BP spill, and it's happened with nearly every spill prior. Ask yourself, how honest will initial reports issued from authorities - who will do and say anything to try and limit the concern from the general public - and the possibilities of being sued by those affected (fishermen, beachside tourist venues, etc).

Something we rarely hear about, but which happens wherever ships (powered by fossil fuels) dock: They clean out

storage tanks, and all that fouled water goes right back in to the sea. Of course, they do it at night, when it's less evident. I've been on tourist boats where large bags of garbage are thrown overboard. People who use the waters ought to have at least a smidgen of concern for water quality. If it takes large fines and sequestering of boats - in order to get the message across, then so be it.

I don't foul the waters (or air or land) around me, and I take offense of those who do. No excuses.

[Tigs]

For all the drama Queens out there, it is estimated in Pattaya alone that 10 Thousand cubic meters of sewage and pollutants are dumped into the sea every day!! That is 10 Million Liters. That is 25 times the amount of this spillage, EVERY day, just from one major coastal resort area. Do you have any idea of what is being ejected around Phuket every day? I find it hilarious how the media can print a headline and without any form of intelligent thought process people are predicting the end of marine life as we know it around Phuket. Muppets!

[brahmburgers]

For all the drama Queens out there, it is estimated in Pattaya alone that 10 Thousand cubic meters of sewage and pollutants are dumped into the sea every day!! That is 10 Million Liters. That is 25 times the amount of this spillage, EVERY day, just from one major coastal resort area. Do you have any idea of what is being ejected around Phuket every day? I find it hilarious how the media can print a headline and without any form of intelligent thought process people are predicting the end of marine life as we know it around Phuket. Muppets!

Since when did 'muppets' become derogatory? My kids watched the muppets on Sesame Street, and thought they were cute. Methinks you need to find a better word to assert your superiority.

Anyhow, back on topic: just because there's a greater polluter (the city of Pattaya) doesn't negate the pollution of a lesser polluter - in this case; a leaky ship off Phuket. I agree that Thai coastal cities are stuck firmly in the Dark Ages when it comes to maintaining environmental decency.

There's so much which could be done to improve the situation. Here's one idea: Designate each Sunday afternoon as 'Beach Clean Up Day.' Everyone in town (residents and tourists) would be encouraged to come out and pick up litter along the beaches. There could be some sort of modest compensation such as a T-shirt or a coupon for a free soft drink, etc. After the volunteers make friends with each other, after working for a few hours together, there could be a big party afterwards, no-alc (ok, impossible in Thailand) .....but you get the idea; make community clean up enjoyable, rather than something that never gets done - either because it's too low class of a chore, or because Thais can tolerate any assault on the senses.

[Capex]

I have some difficulty figuring out the Google-translated GPS coordinates but they appear to be 7° 40’ N, 98° 25’ E, which would place the sunken ship here:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118093398821998237674.00048f6dcec173d63966b&ll=7.553101,98.805542&spn=1.310975,2.113495&z=10

See where a Northwesterly wind will carry an oil spill, if there should be any.

Well for the information of the more morally outraged members of the board who obviously don't live in the area, the prevailing winds are west to southwest and the product aboard the sunken vessel has absolutely NO relationship to the BP Gulf of Mexico crude, other than it is refined from that product.

[Basil B]

It could have been worse, seems it was a ship (large boat) delivering oil to a hotel at Koh Racha Yai, presume that would be diesel fuel, certainly not good for the environment, lets hope it is in sealed containers that divers can get it pumped out when the weather improves.

[Apecks]

Minor problem! Don't forget the seachart 1 has been down for nearly a year with a full tank just off Khao Lak

[Tigs]

For the visually impaired

This is literally a drop on a drop in the ocean. 1000 liters of this stuff will occupy a space of 1 cubic meter, therefore we are talking about 40 cubic meters of oil. Imagine 40 1 cubic meter boxes and that is what we have. There is a room in my house, 4m x 6 m by about 2.5 m high, that wil hold about 60 cubic meters. Better still one of the bedrooms, 4m x 4m x 2.5m is exactly 40 cubic meters. That is the amount of oil unless somebody has reported this wrong, but if it were for delivery to a hotel it sounds about right. It is enough oil to fill the small bedroom in my house, dropped into the ocean. I don't think that it even merits news other than 'a ship has sank'. Seems like gross scaremongering. As someone already said there is far more pollution dumped in to the sea around Phuket everyday.

It is in a Thai boat, it is unlikely to be in hermetically sealed containers. It is little more than the size of a couple of Blue Whale pisses. It is wrong to spill it and contaminate the environment with it, but it will not contribute one iota to the down fall of the marine ecological system in the Phuket Area. You will not taste it in your shrimps or Lobsters or Squid or McNuggets, you will not see it or smell it on the beach, there will be no seagulls covered in thick black oil or sea lions desperately trying to survive. No coral destroyed and as one poster said 'one fish is to many'!! For gods sake how about we start solving the problem of the 100 Million sharks that are pulled from the ocean every year, have all their fins cut off and are then thrown back in alive to die a slow wasteful death.

Drama Queens fueled by Chang!

brahmburgers

Re - 'Muppets', yes you are correct they are also the most beloved of my kids even now, in terms of a derogatory remark I guess it only means something to the circle of people I used to work with and explaining it would be like analysing the punch line of a joke.

[geriatrickid]

I too read it as the 40k -l. being contained for now. There is expertise in Thailan. For example SEACOR has regional offices in BKK and in Singapore and as I understand it, is the largest provider of oil spill services to the industry. The base of operations for Asia is in Thailand if I am not mistaken. It's just a question of the locals following the same practices as the foreigners and retaining the services of skilled professionals. The response has to be be triggered now, not next month.

[BlackGrape]

I too read it as the 40k -l. being contained for now. There is expertise in Thailan. For example SEACOR has regional offices in BKK and in Singapore and as I understand it, is the largest provider of oil spill services to the industry. The base of operations for Asia is in Thailand if I am not mistaken. It's just a question of the locals following the same practices as the foreigners and retaining the services of skilled professionals. The response has to be be triggered now, not next month.

40,000 litres is 40m3 = 40x6.24 bbls =249bbls. That is nothing. Everyday 3000+ bbls oil are put in the sea in Thailand. Bring on greanpeace

[Tigs]

BlackGrape

I find the hysteria on this thread quite amusing really. The journo's should be flogged for trying to whip up the Sun readers in to a frenzy of ecological fervour

[LTGTR]

Gee,imagine a "real" oil spill.....................

[BlackGrape]

BlackGrape

I find the hysteria on this thread quite amusing really. The journo's should be flogged for trying to whip up the Sun readers in to a frenzy of ecological fervour

Mr Tigs,

I do not find this type of journalism amusing myself. From what I read a few months ago of Samui residents wanting to have the blocking of drilling cos the GOM disaster as it may cause enviromental damage to the locals is a bit shortsighted. apples and pears...

[Tigs]

BlackGrape

I said the hysteria by board members was amusing, the journo's should be flogged!

[BlackGrape]

BP oil spill estimated at 250,000,000 imperial gallons = more than 5 billion litres. Actual number is closer to 10 billion litres. Actual flow rate since day 1 >= 100,000 barrel per day = 4,500,000 imperial gallons per day = 200 million litres per day

Why 100,000 bpd? Because BP would only spend that money if the reservoir simulations indicated at least 100,000 bpd. No company drills in deep water to depths over 5 miles without assurance they are going to get this number. Ask their geoscientists to share their exploration information with the world. Don't count on it happening. I have worked with geoscientists on 2 of these wells in the Gulf and one in the North sea. I know what they are after and what numbers you need to sell the prospect to management. They have dumped a minimum of 500 million barrels into the Gulf, mark my words.

What if the destruction was a result of massive unexpected over pressure indicating flow rates significantly higher than the expected flow rate of 100,000 bpd?

Get rid of your stupid hydrocarbon vehicles and take public transport. I am not saying sell them, I am saying get rid of them. You that do not and point your fingers at others are drug addicts blaming the pusher, you are idiots.

And note also, the Gulf is not and will not be dead. It is just that humans may be kicked out of the Gulf food chain. If you cannot live with that, you are free to die with it.

U must be the fat chef on the rigs cos your definately not a academic

Antsrule

[BlackGrape]

BlackGrape

I said the hysteria by board members was amusing, the journo's should be flogged!

sorry;)

[sirchai]

Cant blame that one on the foreigners!!!

But foreigners can help to clean the beach........

[Stone]

I'm so happy to hear that the all crew was saved, sad to hear a was ship sinking.

Is always sad when a ships goes down, no matter what ever she is carrying.

Chief Engineer.

[moskito]

Oil is normally on top of the water, so are sea turtles. Whoever talk this thing down, because its not BP standard and just a little bit....may drink this little bit.

If you ever see just a small amount of oil on water you can imagine what 40000Liters or 10500 Gallons will do! AND before we start to dicuss, I am sure the tanker had an engine too with oil in it.

And NO, for sure I will not start a discussion about the age of the "tanker" or its seaworthiness!!!

[moskito]

Cant blame that one on the foreigners!!!

do YOU know who ownes the resort the oil was for? I dont :jap:

[george]

Thread cleaned up, a number of offending and flaming post has been removed.

Please keep on topic, and be nice.

Cheers

[tomyummer]

Look! There, up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane....no, wait.....it's Kevin Costner! He'll save us with his oil trapping invention!

[brahmburgers]

The vast majority of oil spills in bodies of water (whether it be number of them, or quantity of fossil fuel spilled) go unreported or under-reported. Same with trash dumpings (illegal or otherwise) on land, and toxic emissions in the air. It's like walking in to a large house which serves as a day-care center for kids. You open the door and see crayon scribbled on the wall by the door. Do you declare that that's all the mess there is in the entire house? It behooves businesses people to cover up dirty things like oil spills as much as they possibly can, so the only spill we hear about, are the ones that become so evident they can't be hidden.

As for talking about size and/or # of liters; A small amount of fossil fuel in water spreads far and wide. We only see the macroscopic effects such as oil on beaches, or oil-covered wildlife. We don't see the hidden effects, as it kills zooplankton and photoplankton and many plants and animals that are far from prying eyes of humans. Similarly, there are stories of large aquatic mammals which have had their hearing damaged from loud underwater sonar (mostly military generated). We only hear of the very few of the largest animals which are adversely affected (usually beached) - we don't hear about the countless other animals which are likely harmed/killed by such acts of man.

The message here is; don't just look at the surface (the crayon on the wall by the door) - take a stretch of thinking and realize the harm could likely extend much farther.

Another example: The tens of millions of Thais who don't take care of their dogs barking. If a neighbor complains (it would be a farang, of course), the offending dog owner would assume it's just that one neighbor who is tormented by the dog barking all night. He/She couldn't grasp the fact that it's probably the whole neighborhood which is suffering.

[meelousee]

To put this in perspective this is the amount of fuel to fill 526 Toyota Hilux at 76 litres each. Nasty spill but not a disaster. Large numbers always get attention.

That is for better or worse why this was posted.

[meelousee]

To bring this back into perspective there is no spill yet. Only a sunken boat caring the oil