A Shell oil pipeline began leaking into the sea on Sunday, according to Singaporean authorities, who confirmed that the spill has been contained and cleanup operations are underway.
The leak, which occurred on a pipeline connecting the islands of Bukom and Bukom Kecil, was detected early Sunday morning, said Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA).
“The leak has been stopped at the source,” the MPA reported, adding that Shell immediately set up containment booms around the site and deployed vessels equipped with dispersants to manage the spill.
The MPA also dispatched equipment and a response team to help with the cleanup and activated drones and satellite technology to monitor the situation. Government agencies were notified, and there were no reports of further oil sightings by Sunday evening.
Shell, which runs a significant oil refinery on Bukom, was unavailable for comment at the time of the report. Meanwhile, the MPA issued safety warnings to passing vessels, advising them to avoid the area, though it confirmed there was no disruption to navigation.
Earlier this year, Singapore faced another oil spill when a dredger collided with a stationary bunker vessel near the Pasir Panjang port. The beaches on Sentosa Island were closed, but the cleanup was completed last month.
