XN000022-1974-03-27 — Page 29

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Wednesday, March 27, 1974

OIL SPILLAGE REPORT PUBLISHED

Recommendations Made To Prevent Re-occurrence

The Commission of Inquiry into the Apleichau Oil Spill has

recommended measures to ensure against a repetition of the leakage that

occurred on November 8 last year.

In its report, the Commission concludes that the immediate

cause of the spill was a rupture in the plating of a tank in the Sholl

storage depot. This took place when the tank was being filled with heavy

diesel fuel from a tanker berthed at the nearby jetty.

The Commission found that the rupture resulted from failure of

the foundation, due to excessive settlement of the ground surface immediately

underlying the bottom plating of the tank.

At the time of the incident, a sluice gate in the bund surrounding

the area, controlling a rainwater drainage outlet to the sea, was left open

despite instructions that it should normally remain closed.

Although the gate was lowered to close this outlet before the oil.

reached it, the design was such that the operator was not aware - until too

late

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that it had jammed in descent.

Before action could be taken to prevent further loss through this

outlet, by blocking it with a canvas sheet and bags of cement, an estimated

1,000 to 2,000 tons of oil escaped via a separator unit to the sea.

In addition, some 3,000 tons of oil sank through the floor of the

enclosed tank area into the subsoil. From there an amount impossible to

estimate subsequently seeped into the sea.

The Commission

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