The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company has denied media reports of a fuel spillage at Maame Water, close to Atimpoku in the Eastern Region.
The denial follows a viral video on social media in which locals were captured siphoning what is believed to be oil from a leaking BOST pipeline.
A issued by BOST indicated that the spillage is rather a “pushout of a sludge” due to pressure testing on the company’s 71km petroleum product pipeline stretching from Accra Plains Depot to the Akosombo Depot.
The statement noted that “Repair works on the pipeline commenced a year ago and was expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2022.
“For proper assessment of the degree of the damage at the commencement of the repair works, water was pumped up the line to help with the full detection of all leakages for repairs,” the statement said.
The sludge, according to BOST, is a combination of water, dirt and fuel residue formed in the pipeline.
READ FULL STATEMENT
FUEL SPILLAGE IN MAAME WATER COMMUNITY
Accra, 17th December, 2022 – We have taken notice of publications in sections of the media regarding a leaking petroleum product pipeline owned and operated by the company in the Atimpoku area beyond the Adomi Bridge in a village called Maame Water.
We wish to provide clarity on the development to the public as follows:
1. BOST owns and operates a 71-kilometre Petroleum-Product-Pipeline which stretches from the Accra Plains Depot at Kpone in Tema to the Akosombo Depot at the banks of the Volta Lake in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
2. The pipeline had been decommissioned from 2015 due to vandalism of the line by unknown assailants. This resulted in BOST resorting to the use of Bulk Road Vehicles, popularly known as tankers in the haulage of petroleum Products from the Tema to the Akosombo Depot for onward transmission using river badges to the Buipe Depot in northern Ghana.
3. Repair works on the pipeline commenced a year ago and was expected to be completed by the third quarter of the year 2022. Due to the impact of the construction of the Railway Line from Tema to Mpakadan in the Volta region, the line had to be re-routed which affected the completion time.
4. As a further boost, the company commissioned the installation of a leak and intrusion detection system on the line for the safety and security of its operations when it is recommissioned.
5. For a proper assessment of the degree of damage at the commencement of the repair works, water was pumped up the line to help with the full detection of all leakages for repairs.
6. After the repair works, the company carried out a pressure testing of the line to be sure all the leakages detected have been rectified. It is this pressure testing which resulted in the pushout of a sludge in the Maame Water area which is being reported in the media. The sludge is a combination of water, dirt and fuel residue formed in the pipeline which was pushed out in the pressure testing.
7. It must be emphasized that the tanks at the Maame Water depot have been empty over the last couple of years and BOST has not pumped products up the pipeline since the repair works are yet to be fully completed for a hand-over and recommissioning.
8. The exposed content of the line due to the testing has been foamed by the BOST Team with support from the Ghana National Fire Service and works are underway to ensure a clean-up of the area of the spillage.
9. Zero Environmental Impact. The spilled slop was contained within the drains in the area which happened to be choked. There was no spillage into the waterbodies around the area including the Volta Lake. The spills in the drains have been recovered with the support of the BOST team which has been on site since morning.
10. We are satisfied with the level of work done and look forward to mending this single section of the 71-kilometre pipeline as we get ready to recommission it for utilization by the first quarter of the year 2023.
11. We wish to assure the public that the situation is under control and there are no financial cost implications of the said spillage since same was carried to check the integrity of the repaired pipeline.
12. BOST will continue to serve the interest of the government and people of the Republic of Ghana by ensuring that the pipeline is put to use to reduce the cost of transportation of products in the country.
13. God bless our homeland Ghana.
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
BOST HEAD OFFICE
DZORWULU ACCRA
info@bost.gov.gh
