Ennore oil spill: Assessment by one dept debunked by another of same institute
As per the report prepared by the Civil Engineering department, the TNPCB’s technical team computed that 517 tonnes of oil had spilled, and calculated the environmental damage cost based on a methodology developed by the Institute of Marine Environment and Resource in Vietnam.;
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has been demanding the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) to pay Rs 73 crore as environmental compensation for the oil spill in Ennore during Cyclone Michaung in 2023. The demand is based on an assessment conducted by the IIT-M’s civil engineering department, which is now being debunked by the same institute’s department of ocean engineering.
As per the report prepared by the Civil Engineering department, the TNPCB’s technical team computed that 517 tonnes of oil had spilled, and calculated the environmental damage cost based on a methodology developed by the Institute of Marine Environment and Resource in Vietnam.
However, the ocean engineering department, in its report dated March 19 that was submitted to CPCL, valued the quantum of oil spill to only 14.48 tonnes. “As much as 517 MT (metric tonnes) of oil in sediments is a case of over-estimation, arrived due to higher TPH (total petroleum hydrocarbon) value reported in the IITM-CE (IIT-M Civil Engineering) report. TPH value has been taken at certain concentrated locations and extrapolated for the entire area. Oil quantity estimated on this basis is not an appropriate method,” the department’s report explained.
The department has arrived at the estimation of 14.48 tonnes by comparing the oil spilled during a ship collision incident in January 29, 2017. Based on the satellite image captured then, it was confirmed that the 2017-spill resulted in a dense oil slick extending over 197 sqkm and impacted more than 60km of coastline with a volume of 178.8 tonnes, the report said.
“On similar lines, satellite image estimation was carried out for the 2023-spill. Based on the image on December 6, 2023, a spill triggered by Cyclone Michaung affected 1.81 sqkm in the stretch from Manali Industrial Area to Ennore Creek area,” the report added. “The quantum of oil assessed through the satellite image in the Buckingham Canal, Kosasthalaiyar river and nearby area shows spillage of 18.1 cubic metres (14.48 metric tonnes).”
Moreover, the department also contradicted the Civil Engineering department’s report that indicated that the oil breach from storage tanks could be one of the sources of the spill. It also claimed that it has randomly inspected 5 critical tanks for integrity study and concluded that the storage tanks were in good condition.
It may be noted that the CPCL had filed an appeal in the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the TNPCB’s notice demanding Rs 73 crore as environmental compensation. The NGT admitted the petition and issued an interim stay against the TNPCB’s notice recently.
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