The Ministry of Energy & Energy Industries says an oil spill detected in the Main Field on May 1st was identified and stopped on the same day, and was subsequently repaired and returned to service on May 2nd.
The Ministry noted that if it had been left untreated, the hydrocarbon material could’ve crossed the Trinidad/Venezuela border in the Gulf of Paria.
However, it said that on receiving approval for the use of a chemical dispersant, it was deployed approximately 6 to 8 nautical miles from the border, adding that follow-up inspections showed no visible hydrocarbons remaining on the water’s surface.
The spill, it said, was estimated to be 10 barrels of oil, noting that daily inspections continue to be made within all operating fields offshore, which have revealed no spill incidents.