What is an oil spill?

An oil spill is a leakage of petroleum from an oil tanker or other vessel.

Oil spills into land, rivers, bays, and the ocean are caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries, and storage facilities, usually while the oil is being transported to its users. It can also be caused by people making mistakes or being careless, equipment breaking down, natural disasters such as hurricanes, or deliberate acts by terrorists, countries at war, vandals, or illegal dumpers.

The term often refers to marine oil spills where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters. Oil can refer to many different materials, including crude oil, refined petroleum products or by-products, oily refuse, oil mixed in waste, or oily ballast. Oil is also released into the environment from natural geologic seeps on the seafloor

The fate, behavior, and environmental effects of spilled oil can vary depending upon the type and amount of material spilled

What is a BUNKER FUEL?

It is a dense, sticky oil produced by blending heavy residual oils with a lighter oil to meet specific needs for thickness and pour point.

It is used in industrial burners worldwide, as well as in internal combustion engines of the compression-ignition type used by certain marine vessels.

The specific gravity of a particular bunker C fuel oil can vary from 0.95 to greater than 1.03. Thus, spilled oil can float, suspend in the water column, or sink. Small changes in water density may dictate whether the oil will sink or float.

In ocean saltwater, oil floats. It usually floats when spilled in fresh water (rivers or lakes) too. Rarely, very heavy oil will sink in fresh water, but generally, it spreads out rapidly across the water’s surface and forms a thin layer called an oil slick. As the spreading process continues the oil layer becomes thinner and starts to look like a rainbow. This fine layer is called a sheen. Sometimes after a rain, the same type of sheen is seen on roads or parking lots.

What are the effects of oil spill?

On People’s Health and Livelihood:

Oil spills can have a serious economic impact on coastal activities and on those who exploit the resources of the sea. The impact on marine life is compounded by toxicity and tainting effects resulting from the chemical composition of oil, as well as by the diversity and variability of biological systems and their sensitivity to oil pollution.

When an oil spill occurs, many fish and sea life die, which affects the fishing industry. Many fishermen can not sell their fish, so therefore they are displaced of their livelihood.

An oil spill can cause loss of market confidence since the public may be unwilling to purchase marine products from the region irrespective of whether the seafood is actually tainted. Bans on the fishing and harvesting of marine products may be imposed following a spill, both to maintain market confidence and to protect fishing gear and catches from contamination.

Contamination of coastal amenity areas is a common feature of many spills leading to public disquiet and interference with recreational activities such as bathing, boating, angling and diving. Hotel and restaurant owners, and others who gain their livelihood from the tourist trade can also be affected. The disturbance to coastal areas and to recreational pursuits from a single spill is comparatively short-lived and any effect on tourism is largely a question of restoring public confidence once clean-up is completed.

Industries that rely on a clean supply of seawater for their normal operations can be adversely affected by oil spills. If substantial quantities of floating or sub-surface oil are drawn through intakes, contamination of the condenser tubes may result, requiring a reduction in output or total shutdown whilst cleaning is carried out.

Exposure to bunker fuel may cause skin dermatitis and an increase in risk of skin cancer. Eating contaminated fish and shellfish can cause gatro-intestinal upset and other illnesses. Toxic fumes can cause illnesses that can affect the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs.

The lighter fractions of petroleum, such as benzene and toluene, are more toxic, but are more volatile and evaporate quickly. They damage human red blood cells. Heavier components of crude oil, such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) appear to cause the most damage; while they are less toxic, they persist in the environment much longer than volatile components.

On fisheries and mariculture:

Oil affects marine animals by coating their bodies with a thick layer. Many oils also become stickier over time (this is called weathering) and so adheres even more. Since most oil floats o nthe surface of the water it can effect many marine animals and sea birds. Unfortunately, birds and marine mammals will not necessarily avoid an oil spill.

Some fish are attracted to oil because it looks like floating food. This endangers sea birds, which are attracted to schools of fish and may dive through oil slicks to get to the fish.

In coastal areas some marine mammals and reptiles, such as turtles, may be particularly vulnerable to adverse effects from oil contamination because of their need to surface to breathe and to leave the water to breed. Adult fish living in nearshore waters and juveniles in shallow

water nursery grounds may be at greater risk to exposure from dispersed or dissolved oil.

The risk of surface oil slicks affecting the sea bed in offshore waters is minimal. However, restrictions on the use of dispersants may be necessary near spawning grounds or in some sheltered, nearshore waters where the dilution capacity is poor.

Oil in the environment or oil that is ingested can cause damage to fish eggs, larvae and young fish; damage to estuaries, coral reefs, seagrass and mangrove habitats which are the breeding areas of many fish and crustaceans, interfering with their breeding; and tainting of fish, crustaceans, molluscs and algae.

What are the steps to control and immediately address the oil spill?

http://people.cornellcollege.edu/mhamlin/geo105/clean_up_methods.html

There are several different methods of clean up when dealing with oil spills, and the methods used are determined not just by the size and type of the spill, but mainly by the wind, water currents, and weather at the site of the accident. Using the correct cleaning methods and quick action further reduce damage to the environment and potential damage to human health.

. • Booms: A floating barrier that is placed around any spilled oil on the surface of the water. Their purpose is simply to keep oil from spreading by concentrating the oil into a thick layer on the surface of the water. Booms work best in calm seas, and must be adjusted due to wind and water currents.

. • Burn Booms: Ignite the oil collected within them.

. • Weir skimmers: Floating wells that collect both water and oil which is either recycled or disposed of.

. • Oleophilic skimmers: Belts that blot the oil from the surface, and because of the belts, they're more flexible making it easier to use in the presence of debris such as ice.

. • Suction skimmers: A giant vacuum that sucks up surface oil deposits.

. • Absorbing Sorbents: Act as a sponge to collect oil deposits; ususally those left behind by skimmers.

. • Natural Organic Sorbents: Can hold up to 15 times their own weight in oil (eg. peat moss and hay).

. • Natural Inorganic Sorbents: Can hold up to 20 times their weight in oil (eg. clay and sand).

. • Synthetic Sorbents: Can hold up to 70 times their own weight in oil (eg. polyurethane or polyethylene).

. • Dispersants: Solvent compounds that break down oil slicks into little oil balls which interact with the earth’s natural processes (like wind and waves) that further break down the oil and prevent it from reaching shore. Dispersants work best with medium and light weight oils because heavy oils don’t break down as well, and dispersants can be used in almost all weather conditions making them a valuable resource.

. • Solidifiers (or gelling agents): Chemicals that form a gel solid when added to oil. The main drawback to the solidifiers is the amount needed to work, which can be up to three times the amount of oil spilled.

. • Biological Agents: The process of biodegradation occurs, where bacteria

essentially feed on the oil and naturally break it down to make energy and food. Although they take years to work, the addition of fertilizers to the bacteria can speed up this process making biological agents more effective.

WHAT IS THE OIL SPILL DISASTER IN GUIMARAS?

Motor Tanker Solar 1 of 998 gross tonnage sank at latitude 10 degrees, 14.5 meters long and 122 degrees, 26 meters long at 30 nautical miles south-southwest of Iloilo City or approximately 21 kilometers south off Guimaras last August 11 (Friday), 4:10 pm.

It was carrying almost 2 million liters of BUNKER FUEL/INDUSTRIAL OIL (12,580 barrels or 528,360 gallons ) for Petron Corporation. The vessel, locally-registered, is owned by Sunshine Maritime Development Corporation (SMDC) of Airport Boulevard Plaza, Manila . SMDC is chartered by Petron Corporation. It came from Bataan on August 9 and was bound for Zamboanga City

this is considered the biggest oil spill in the country. This has badly affected the towns of Nueva Valencia, Sibunag, and Buenavista of Guimaras.

How are the people affected by the oil spill?

The oil spill has wrought havoc on the people’s health and livelihood. After four days since August 11, nearly 14% of the approximately 150,000 people of Guimaras were affected.

On August 18, a teary-eyed Guimaras Provincial Governor JC Rahman Nava reported that over 4,000 families lost their livelihood which, is fishing. This is comprised of roughly 26,000 individuals.

On August 23, 25 barangays of the provinces of Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental have been affected.

The spill also caused the death of Remelio Dalida and a two-year old Alejandro “Toto Pogi” Castillo. Both of them suffered respiratory illness due to inhalation of fumes. Arnel Gentizon was one of those admitted to the Provincial Hospital for consuming contaminated fish.

On August 30, toxic oil fumes may have affected 30 students from Lapaz Elementary School in Nueva Valencia who were sent home after they complained of head ache, stomach ache and vomiting

The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council on August 28 reported 626 cases of respiratory diseases, dermatitis, conjunctivitis, diarrhea and vomiting, asthma.

According to Dr. Panganiban of the National Poison Management and Control Center (NPMCC), bunker fuels have high level of toxicity.

What are the effects of oil spill on the enviuronment and marine life?

While assessments of the actual damaged areas and ecosystems are being done, Governor Nava estimated that 220 kilometers of coastline, 454 hectares of mangroves, 1100 hectares of marine reserves, and 58 hectares of seaweeds have been affected.

Science Undersecretary Graciano Yumul Jr., citing radar satellite maps and educated estimates by scientists, revealed that only 99.6 Kilometers of coastline were affected. Yumul said that previous figures released by government agencies to the local government units were estimates done at the reconnaissance level.

Yumul also revealed that 1.3 million liters (out of MT Solar 1’s 2.1M liters) have leaked out of the sunken vessel. He said that experts from UPV had computed the volume of oil leaked based on the number of mangroves affected in Taclong Reserve, the height and thickness of the slick. Nearly 45,000 liters of oil had affected the reserve.

Environmental economist Rodelio Subade said damage from the Solar was not limited to "tradeable goods" like fish stocks but that it could have an impact on generations of fishermen here.

Subade says that it will entail a huge environmental cost. He also said that the destruction in relative terms to major spills like the Valdez "could be close.

Dr. Jose Ingles, a marine biologist said that of the 395 hectares of mangroves with the presence of oil slick have the maximum sustainable yield pf 123 tons every year. Mangroves serve as breeding, feeding, and nursery grounds for over 144 fish species and other marine life.

Severino Salmo III, a coastal resource management consultant said that mangroves have the role to trap and filter pollutants. They have coping mechanism called phyto accumulation. But they would eventually die after trapping the pollutants and their breathing apparatus called lenticels are already clogged with oil.

Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, an internationally known ecologist and mangrove expert said that the oil spill has badly affected mangrove plantations, not only in Guimaras but also in coastal areas of Iloilo.

Mangroves expert Resurreccion Sadaba said fish, mollusks and other marine organisms as well as coral reefs have started dying within the roughly 1,000-hectare (2,500-acre) Taclong national marine reserve. He said it would probably still take two years before the mass destruction of the mangroves would be observed --raising fears that the situation will get much worse before it gets better.

Moreover, 10,000 fisher folks were bereft of daily income totaling between P3 million and P5 million. P57 million Worth of marine resources in fish cages and fish pens were destroyed, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Nearly P3.57 million was lost from tourism in Guimaras from Aug. 11 to Aug. 27

The UP Visayas has been given at least P100 million out of the President’s calamity fund for a ten-year environmental and economic rehabilitation

What has been done?

On August 12, civilian volunteers from Bo. Obrero, Iloilo City were tapped by Petron Corp. to assess the site of the spill and set up spill booms and skimmers to contain the slick. Rough seas, however, brought the slick to the shore.

The local government of Guimaras “was knocked off their feet and got scare of their lives” with the sinking of the oil tanker. But then, with the limited resources they have, they also delivered relief goods to the affected families who mainly rely on fishing.

Small groups of residents, on the first few days after the spill, are shoveling the sludge off the blackened beaches in and around Nueva Valencia. They are just collecting the oil and putting it in garbage bags and stacking them on the beach. Relief agencies have begun handing out food lately to many hundreds of poor fishermen whose livelihoods have been put at risk by the spill.

The local government formed Task Force Sunrise to coordinate all efforts at resolving the problem.

The National Government:

The national government, along with Petron Corporation and SMDC, seemed to be foot-dragging in responding to the crisis:

. • Three days after the spill, Governor Nava sought the help of President Arroyo. The national government did not commit any immediate financial aid but only promised to seek help or aid from other countries.

. • August 19: President Arroyo called for international assistance, particularly from Indonesia and Japan, for the clean-up operation

. • August 22: Task Force Guimaras was created by the national government. Arroyo ordered the release of P20M fund (P10M for Guimaras and P5M each for Iloilo and Negros Occidental)

. • August 23: The government set up a commission of inquiry into the disaster and has given it three days to submit an initial report.

. • August 25: A National State of Calamity was declared due to the oil spill in Guimaras

. • August 26: GMA personally went to Guimaras to see the situation. “Not all of Guimaras are affected”, said Arroyo.

. • Sometime in last week of August 2006: President Arroyo ordered the Philipine Coast Guard to identify sea lanes for vessels carrying bunker fuels and other hazardous chemicals to protect ecologically sensitive areas.

. • August 29: Ms Arroyo said the Philippines could be eligible for up to $310 million in claims from a United Nations-administered oil spill liability fund and that damage control experts from the United States, Japan, France and Australia had gone to Guimaras Island to help salvage the sunken tanker.

Senator Francsisco Pangilinan is dismayed at the snail—paced response of the national government with the NDCC. Senator Jamby Madrigal lambasted the alleged cover-up of the impact of the spill by Arroyo government and Petron Corp.

Petron Corporation:

Petron Corp. initially deployed covilian volunteers to set up spill booms and skimmers to contain the oil slick. It implemented “cash for wok” program where local residents are hired for the clean-up work at P300.00 a day. At first, they were paid of P100 daily, without the necessary protective gear. It was only later that boots, gloves, and cleaning pads were provided to the workers.

Petron earlier declared that it has no legal obligation to shoulder the clean-up and rehabilitation of the affected areas since they only contracted MT Solar 1. But they promised to do everything they can to make Guimaras “a better place to live”.

Petron also declared in its briefing before the Provincial Board members of Iloilo last August 29 that MT Solar 1 is seaworthy and has complied the necessary requirements for transporting their bunker fuel. Petron made no commitments as to when they could re-float or entomb the sunken vessel or siphon the remaining oil under the sea. Their hired submersible remote operated vessel, Shin Sei Maru of Fukuda Salvage and Marine Works Co. Ltd. from Japan arrived last August 30 at Iloilo port going to Guimaras to conduct a sonar sweep to determine the exact location of the ship.

SMDC:

SMDC also declared their intention to help in the clean-up and to pay for the damages, as soon as their insurance claim is already put in place. On August 17, Oil British Experts of their insurance company arrived in Guimaras to assess the damage and give recommendations for the clean-up and rehabilitation.

On August 30, SMDC said the cleanup costs for the environmental disaster and the damage it has caused are insured from between 250 to 300 million dollars by an international organization of shipping owners. It has also has filed for claims before the Protection and Indemnity Coverage of Luxembourg but that they have yet to receive a response.

The Articles of Incorporation and other records of the SMDC showed that majority of the incorporators of the company were Japanese. Dionision Z. Parulan, Gregorio M. Flores, Clemente GR. Cancio, Mototsugu Yamaguchi, Hiroyasu Yamaguchi, Tomoki Tsubomoto, Hiromi Irishika, Roberto D. Mena, Angelita S. Buenaventura have been put on the list for possible violations of the Clean Water Act, Domestic Philippine Act, Revised Penal Code, Brown Environmental Law, and the Anti-Dummy Law by the Department of Justice.

Worse, the Special Board of Marine Inquiry (SBMI) said in August 30 hearing that Solar 1 was not seaworthy. SMDC with a capitalization of only P5M is a dummy of a Japanese businessman. A MARINA source who asked not to be identified said that it is impossible for a company with only P5M capital to buy a brand new tanker. So, Petron does not know of the SMDC’s status?

Another insider from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) revealed that MT Solar 1 is a rundown, one-hulled tanker and is also a weak and decrepit vessel. The company also defended the hiring of Norberto Aguro, captain of the Solar I, even if he did not have an oil tanker master mariner’s license.

What should we do?

Let us call on the people responsible for this worst oil spill in the history of the country to be held liable for the damages.

Petron and SMDC must be accountable for this which has already wrought havoc on the people,s health and livelihood and the ecosystem.

The inadequate and foot-dragging response of Petron Corp.showed its lack of willingness to immediately take steps at resolving the issue. Petron passes its responsibility to the shipping company and simply waits for international support requested by the Philippine Coast Guard.

But Petron cannot escape ultimate accountability for the oil spill just because it sub-contracted shipping of the oil to an outside company. In fact, instead of cost-cutting and negligence, Petron could have used its considerable economic power to ensure more overall safety in the oil transport industry by requiring its shippers to use double-hulled vessels, in line with international standards. Petron’s overall market share increased to 38% in 2005, while it has a 34% share in the retail market. It even reported a net income of P2.7 B for the first six months of 2006, 16% higher than the P2.31B posted over the same period in 2005.

Certainly, our government is not even prepared for disasters. Our country ranks 7th in the world’s most disaster-prone; not a government which allots more than 30% of its national budget to foreign debt servicing while setting aside a measly 0.1% for calamity funds. The government remains inutile in exerting effort for disaster resiliency and post-disaster rehabilitation. The prevailing disaster response system in the country is reactive, emergency-focused, and relief centered.

Thousands of lives and properties continue to be lost and destroyed each time a disaster strikes the country. It took President Arroyo more than ten days before taking the lame step of forming a task force to oversee the clean-up.

The damage wrought by the oil spill is wide-ranging and may take decades to rectify. If Petron is unwilling to face up its responsibilities, then government should step in and use its 40% share in the company to compel the oil giant to shoulder the costs of clean-up, rehabilitation of the local environment, and aid to affected residents.

How can we help?

1. 1. Help pressure the national government, Petron Corp., and SMDC to take immediate steps to re-float, salvage, or entomb the vessel or siphon out the remaining bunker fuel under the sea. Hold Petron, SMDC, and the Arroyo government liable for the damage and demand for rehabilitation and indemnification.

2. 2. Launch relief delivery operations and medical missions

3. 3. Participate in the effort to contain the oil spill

4. 4. Launch fora, group discussions, sharing, and the like to let the people know if who should be held accountable for the oil spill.

5. 5. Launch rapid site assessment or environment investigation mission to asses the socio- economic impact of the oil spill.

6. 6. Work with local government units in making necessary steps to mitigate the impact of the oil spill and support their effort in filing a class suit.

7. 7. Muster our resources in terms of technical advice from experts, the academe, professionals and other individuals who have the knowledge on how to deal with the problem.

8. 8. Sterngthen the advocacy of Save our Lives, SOS! -Panay and Guimaras. Build local chapters among affected communities. Join us!

What is Save our Lives, SOS! Panay and Guimras?

SAVE OUR LIVES, SOS Panay and Guimaras is a broad alliance of of non-government organizations, scientists, academe, legislators, artists, students, medical students and practitioners, church people and affected local communities who joined hands and committed themselves in addressing the concerns and issues caused by the M/t Solar Spill in Guimaras Island last August 11, 2006. The August 11 M/t Solar Oil is the worst oil spill in Philippine history that wrought havoc to the many lives of Guimaras population and the neighboring islands of Iloilo and Negros Occidental. Rich marine resources whom majority of the people rely for their daily existence was heavily devastated making them poorer and dependent on relief assistance with no assurance of supply for the coming days.

Petron Corporation actions for immediate clean-up, containment of oil spill and the removal of the remaining bunker fuel is so slow. Their provision of protective gears for the people involved in the clean-up operation was sub-standard, even insufficient, making them vulnerable to sickness and even death. Health insurance for the people hired for clean up was not provided. Worse, they made the people believe that they are helping rather than complying with their responsibility being liable for such damages.

The catastrophe brought about by the M/T Solar Oil Spill reflects the ineptitude of the national government in ensuring emergency disaster contingency response on oil spill as well as its prevention. Delayed responses of the national government in assisting the local governments and agencies as well as demanding Petron Corporation and Sunshine Maritime Corporation to urgently and decisively act caused more damages and loss of people and marine lives.

It is in this context, SAVE OUR LIVES, Save our Seas Panay and Guimaras convenors was formed last August 22 with members from Madias Ecological Movement, AGHAM, Philippine Independent Church, Philippine Councilor’s League, GABRIELA, Alliance of Health Workers, Physics teachers from Western Visayas Science and Technology, Bayan and Bayan Muna with the help of Dr. Giovanne Tapang, physicist from UP Diliman as resource person. The alliance continues to increase its membership and develop its pool of consultants of experts locally and nationally with international competencies to provide

us scientific tools and legal opinion in its advocacy work. The alliance serves as a venue and vehicle for discussion, advocacy and mobilization of both human and material resources in addressing the problems caused by the oil spill.

OUR OBJECTIVES:

1. 1. Unite the broadest sectors to demand Petron Corporation for the immediate and total clean up of oil slicks and the removal of the remaining bunker fuel in the sunken vessel 3,000 ft underwater.

2. 2. Mobilize different sectors locally, nationally and international to provide relief and medical assistance to the people affected by the oil spill.

3. 3. Educate the general public especially affected local communities on oil spill; the parties liable for the damages; the effects to people’s lives and marine environment and the responsibility of government to strictly implement maritime international laws to protect people lives and marine environment on oil pollution.

4. 4. Organize the local communities affected by the oil spill to demand indemnification from Petron Corporation.

5. 5. Lobby for support from local government units for the demands of the liability of Petron Corporation and Sunshine Maritime Corporation and legislate laws for the protection of people and marine environment to prevent future sea accidents and oil pollution.

6. 6. Link with national and international institutions and network to support the oil spill campaign.

7. 7. Strengthen and expand the membership of the alliance as an advocacy center for the oil spill tragedy.

OUR ACTIVITIES:

Since the inception of the alliance we have already conducted: group discussions and media discussions lobby work in legislative councils and Congress demanding the liability of Petron and Sunshine Maritime Corporation for the damages delivery of relief assistance to several affected communities and island villages coordination with the local governments of Guimaras Island

We will further: Link with media networks to help us in massive information dissemination of education our campaign on oil spill.

Link with international networks on environment and development work are on-going for international support in our campaign to help the affected communities and

marine resources.

Conduct community visitation for monitoring the actual condition of the people and the effect of oil spill. Continuous invitation for groups, organizations, institutions and individuals to join us in the alliance and offer their services

OUR DEMANDS FOR PETRON, SUNSHINE MARITIME CORPORATION AND THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT:

1. 1. The Arroyo government, Petron and SMDC must allocate and give more funds for the immediate relief assistance to all the affected families.

2. 2. Medical assistance and other health preventive measures must be provided to those who were affected by the oil spill.

3. 3. Immediate actions must be done to solve the threat of more oil spills from the remaining bunker fuel of the sunken M/T Solar I and to prevent more environmental damages, economic devastation and loss of lives.

4. 4. The Petron and SMDC shoulder the expenses for clean up operations and provide protective gears and health insurances to those involved in the clean-up.

5. 5. The Arroyo government must immediately and strictly implement international maritime laws for shipping companies to prevent more oil pollution and other sea accidents that damage human lives and marine resources.

6. 6. Petron and SMDC must shoulder the expenses for the rehabilitation and indemnification efforts of the affected population. #