Suspected Rayong ‘oil leak’ is natural plankton bloom, says PTT subsidiary

[rooster59]

Suspected Rayong ‘oil leak’ is natural plankton bloom, says PTT subsidiary

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE SUNDAY NATION

 

 

A SUBSIDIARY of petroleum giant PTT has allayed fears of a new oil spill in Rayong, saying that what looked like leaked crude was in fact a harmless organism.

PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) said that samples of the oil-like substance found on the sea surface in Rayong Bay had been examined and identified as traces of plankton bloom. 

 

Pictures of the substance were shared on social media last week by a local fisherman who identified it as oil leaked from crude oil transporting pipes at Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate. This has raised concern of a major oil leak similar to one that occurred in the same area in 2013.

 

PTTGC operates underwater oil-transport pipes off Rayong that leaked and caused the 2013 spillage.

 

The company said yesterday that the Eastern Gulf Fisheries Research and Development Centre in Rayong had examined sea water samples collected last Tuesday and Wednesday. It was found that the oil-like substance on the sea surface was not oil, but the natural phenomenon of plankton bloom.

 

The company also cited Assoc Professor Pornsilp Pholpunthin, head of the biology department at Prince of Songkla University, as saying that Trichodesmium erythraeum, a species of blue-green algae, was found in the sea water samples.

 

It is suspected that the algae caused the yellow-brown traces on the sea surface. Decomposition of the substance had also created a bad smell in the area.

 

The company emphasised that this was a natural and normal plankton bloom that would cause no harm to humans.

 

Banjerd Luangphon, a fisherman in Rayong, said residents felt relieved after hearing the explanation.

 

“The fisherman who encountered the trace assumed that it was chemically treated oil that would then sink to the sea floor, as he had witnessed a similar thing during the last oil spill,” Banjerd said.

 

“But it is good to hear from PTTGC that the trace on the sea surface was not oil.” 

 

Nevertheless, he said that the major oil spill of 2013 was not the most recent such incident in Rayong’s waters. There had been a spill in May this year, he said.

 

“The local people do not want to have a problem with the company. We are looking forward to working with them to ensure that our environment will be protected,” Banjerd stressed.

 

“So, we would like to ask them to be very careful on their operation to prevent impacts to the environment and genuinely clean up the sea.

 

“Rayong’s sea has not really recovered from the oil spill in 2013, as fish numbers have significantly decreased, and some fish have shown symptoms of genetic disorders.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30323648

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-13

[cumgranosalus]

Algal blooms occur naturally AND through changes in the water brought about by pollution.

just saying it is an algal bloom is not sufficient, the causes and natural history of the algae need to be understood.

The effect of fisheries also needs investigating.

The area around Ban Chang, Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate and Rayong is subject to the most risk of pollution anywhere in Thailand - the  presence of the petrochemical industries there is a potential disaster for those in the area.

Pollution extends to land sae and air.

Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate has had huge scandals in the past and is now the subject of massive development largely by PTT as they expand their gas import facilities.

In the past it has been shown that the monitoring and regulation of industry in this region has been to put it mildly, lax........one has little faith that this situation has radically changed. It could be just a matter of time before the region suffers a massive eco-disaster.

 

 

[wilai]

^

[Bangyo1948]

Could the algae bloom have something to do with the dead sea floor after the 2013 and more recent oil spills?

[huangnon]

^^Been living in the Banchang area (blithely, or otherwise) for over 22 years. No associated health problems in this area at all, (apart from the usual hazards encountered in Thailand, generally).

Only thing I am aware of, is people with an agenda coming back to troll under another username. Hell-oooo.

[cumgranosalus]

1 hour ago, huangnon said:

^^Been living in the Banchang area (blithely, or otherwise) for over 22 years. No associated health problems in this area at all, (apart from the usual hazards encountered in Thailand, generally).

Only thing I am aware of, is people with an agenda coming back to troll under another username. Hell-oooo.

Your comment is ignoring the nature of diseases from pollution. Diseases from pollution can take years to manifest - You are one statistic out for several hundred thousand - you will note that not everybody is dead - the stats show abnormal cancer rates and other diseases.... - just because you are fine, doesn't mean their is a problem - I think a lot of the people who have lost members of their families would find your comments very saddening.

I would also be concerned about any children growing up there and their future too.

...and how ca you be sure your health problems aren't from or exacerbated by where you live?

[huangnon]

^Have you lost members of your family to local pollution, or related disease? If not, please stop plucking sanctimonious nuggets from the ether to try substantiate your agenda.

 

A re you the same spammer trying to sell condos in Chantaburi as before?

[cumgranosalus]

4 minutes ago, huangnon said:

^Have you lost members of your family to local pollution, or related disease? If not, please stop plucking sanctimonious nuggets from the ether to try substantiate your agenda.

 

A re you the same spammer trying to sell condos in Chantaburi as before?

i think you should control your paranoia and watch the video above. 

I have no real estate interest at all and never have.

it seems you are bereft of an argument so have resorted to ad hominem and fantasy instead of a reasoned response.

Unlike yours, my opinion is based on a reasoned analysis of the evidence made available to the public over the last 2 decades - they are decades or neglect and sscandal and abnormal death rates amongst the population.

Watch the video and do some reading.

[kaorop]

33 minutes ago, LennyW said:

 the prevailing wind in Ban Chang is west to east,

No it isnt, if anything its from the S, SSW and SSE

 

[Rimmer]

An off topic post has been removed also a reply.

 

[RoyDee]

41 minutes ago, kaorop said:

No it isnt, if anything its from the S, SSW and SSE

 

Analysis of wind direction data over 8 years (June 2009 to July 2017) shows prevailing direction on the Rayong coastline is from SSW according to this link:

https://www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/rayong

[kaorop]

12 hours ago, RoyDee said:

Analysis of wind direction data over 8 years (June 2009 to July 2017) shows prevailing direction on the Rayong coastline is from SSW according to this link:

https://www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/rayong

yes, certainly not west to east as was claimed

tho i often track storms coming from the sse that sweep up and across to pattaya, particularly when monsoons strike south east veitnam,

today it was close to directly from the south .

 

i use a number of weather related sites regularly

This is looking sse toward ban chang just a few weeks ago

 

[cumgranosalus]

Prevailing winds are only a small factor - the pollution is all pervasive - it affects the sea land the land as well as the atmosphere - it also doesn't confine itself to well defined lines nor does it clear up quickly - it can remain for years.

 anyone who thinks wind is complete protection is kidding themselves. Ground winds and higher winds  can blow in opposite direction - pollutants can convect  be caught up in storms etc.and land some distance from their sources - apparently in the opposite direction to any perceived prevailing winds. the other thing about prevailing winds is that they are "prevailing" they are not 100% constant in that direction.

Pollutants are carried by other factors  - rain, rivers, irrigation, vehicles, illegal disposal soil movements accidental discharges, leaks, much of this is avoided by companies - especially small events - all these accumulate to render the region more and more toxic.

 

The sea quality changes not only  from leaks directly into the sea but matter carried from the land by winds (prevailing or otherwise) into the sea, or run  off for rivers and streams, discharges from vessels et c etc - all this has an accumulative effect on the marine environment and disturbs the natural balance in th area - a break in the food chain or changes  in temperature can then trigger such things as algal blooms, these in turn can affect fish stocks and the amount of light or oxygen in the water whic in turn can accelerate the cycle.

 

 

The sea is not a single isolated entity, it is affected by what is happening on the land around it also the two rely on each other for a stable evironment - heavy industry which has already demonstrated a  reckless disregard for regulations and te environment is a threat to all in the region - water, land sea, food we eat plants we harvest fish we eat...all are part of the land/sae/industrial environment.

[cumgranosalus]

this article in the Nation indicates that local people are very concerned about the effects of pollution on this area.

Rayong - "dead Sea"