Probe next week to determine cause of leak

A major ecological catastrophe was narrowly avoided on Friday after a crude oil leak in Oistins triggered the island’s largest-ever oil containment operation, with officials crediting swift action for preventing damage to the marine environment and area businesses.

About 1 000 barrels of crude oil were recovered following the early morning spill in Oistins, authorities said as they prepared for a “deep investigation” into the cause of the leak starting next week.

“We had an incident at our pump facility just north of the Bay Garden,” Damien Catlyn, group health and safety manager at the Barbados National Energy Company Ltd (BNECL), told reporters at a post-clean-up briefing. “We isolated the leak, contained the spill, and have now recovered around 1 000 barrels of crude oil.”

He had earlier in the day explained that BNECL was exporting crude oil to a tanker in the Oistins Bay when the incident occurred.

“Around 1:30 a.m., we received reports that oil was observed overflowing in the Bay Garden parking lot. We immediately mobilised personnel from the terminal and the Woodbourne oil field, and with significant help from the public isolated the pumps, tanks, and marine outfall.”

Final jetting of the drains leading to the marine outfall was done with support from the Ministry of Transport and Works Drainage Unit and the contaminated sand was transported to BNECL’s Woodbourne facility for natural decomposition in weathering beds, Catlyn said.

“All the products have been recovered and are being reprocessed. We have prevented any oil hydrocarbons from entering the marine environment or Highway 7,” he said.

Authorities confirmed that gas levels in the area remained below the lower explosive limit throughout the day, eliminating any fire threat.

“We have no concerns about open flame in the area at this moment,” Catlyn added.

Officials also confirmed that the natural gas supply in the area was safely restored by evening, with no respiratory health complaints having been reported.

While the clean-up continued into the afternoon, Catlyn said a “deep interrogation” of the incident would begin in earnest next week.

“We’ve been focusing on restoring the area and ensuring safety,” he said. “Once that’s done, the investigation will start and the findings will be submitted to the government.”

Minister of Energy Senator Lisa Cummins echoed that message, stating that containment and clean-up had taken priority.

“We will share the results once the technical teams complete their assessments,” she added.

Acting Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw praised the multi-agency response and community cooperation: “This was a national effort, and the cooperation we saw today was critical in preventing disaster.”

The response included teams from the Barbados Fire Service, Department of Emergency Management, Environmental Protection Department, Barbados Coast Guard, and several private partners who assisted with pumping and flushing drains.

Senior Minister Dr William Duguid, who has oversight of infrastructural projects, also joined in praising the initial containment work by citizens. 

“I want to really thank the people from the Bay Garden, who were the first on scene and started mobilising by putting a sand berm to stop oil getting into the drain or onto the road,” he said.

Among those first on the scene was president of the Bay Garden Association, Kemar Harris who said he and his staff identified the problem around 1:20 a.m. 

“We smelled the strong fumes and saw the oil running over. Immediately, I asked my staff to get sand… to stop the oil from going to the main road and also to the beach,” he recounted.

The incident had prompted temporary closure of parts of the Oistins commercial district and the Bay Garden, magistrates’ court complex and Christ Church Post Office were among those affected.

The road from the Y-junction by the Oistins Police Station to the bottom of Oistins Hill was also closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

However, the Oistins Bay Garden and surrounding roads were cleared to reopen from 5 p.m., just in time for the popular Friday night fish fry.

More than 50 businesses had been affected by the day-long closure, with some fish vendors and business owners earlier expressing concern about the possibility of spoilage and lost sales due to the disruption. Some vendors at the Berinda Cox Fish Market called for better coordination to access ice and preserve their stock.

Despite the inconvenience, Bradshaw said the situation had been well managed and underscored the importance of strong emergency coordination.

“Just like we prepare for hurricanes, this response showed what we can achieve when we act quickly and together,” she said. 

shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb