The spill occurred due to a storm during a transfer from a ship to a Thai Oil refinery
Oil spill cleanup in Gulf of Thailand
An oil spill occurred during oil transfer from the Singapore-flagged Phoenix Jamnagar at Thai Oil’s Sri Racha refinery in Chonburi Province, Thailand. The incident affected waters 13 kilometers offshore and 9 kilometers off Koh Sichang, where the water depth reaches 30 meters. The spill occurred on the morning of June 6, 2025.
According to a statement from Thai Oil Public Company Limited, the incident was caused by force majeure circumstances: sudden high waves and strong winds that occurred shortly before midnight on June 5, while employees were completing oil transfer operations in accordance with standard safety procedures.
The leak occurred when the Breakaway Coupling valve on the Single Buoy Mooring-2 (SBM-2) floating oil terminal was closed at approximately 11:54 p.m. Thai Oil says booms were deployed before the oil was pumped. The leak has been stopped, and the SBM-2 system has not been damaged, the company said.
The oil spills on the sea surface were caused by strong waves and winds, which caused oil to escape the booms. There were no reports of casualties.
The Thai government responded immediately to the situation. Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri instructed the Director General of the Marine Department, Krichphet Chaichuai, to set up a coordination center to prevent and eliminate marine oil pollution.
The Marine Department is working with the Royal Thai Navy to set up an oil spill cleanup operation center. Analysis of the situation showed that thin black or brown oil slicks with a total area of about 100 square meters are spreading southward at a speed of 1 knot under the influence of northeast winds.
The Marine Department has sent the Chonthara Anurak vessel with personnel and equipment, including 200 meters of booms, 800 liters of dispersant, sprayers, and skimmers. Measures are being taken around the clock to localize the pollution and prevent the further spread of oil slicks.
The National Maritime Interest Protection Center and the 1st Naval Command are involved in coordinating the action and providing land and sea support. Personnel, watercraft, aircraft, UAVs, and helicopters from Lemchabang Port, the HTMS Tachai, and the Do 228 maritime patrol aircraft are involved.
The Pollution Control Department and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources reported that Thai Oil had completely stopped the leak, installed booms around the incident site, and used dispersants to break up the oil. The Pollution Control Department provided the
Marine Department and Thai Oil with OILMAP modeling data to track the movement of the oil and provide further environmental assessment and technical support.
This incident demonstrates the need for a prompt response and coordinated work of all stakeholders to minimize damage to the marine ecosystem and coastal areas. Thai authorities demonstrate their readiness to effectively cooperate with companies to quickly eliminate the consequences of the oil spill and prevent similar situations in the future.
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