A day after Petrotrin beefed up security following an internet threat, saboteurs have struck at a Petrotrin installation in Grand Ravine, Palo Seco, unscrewing a plug from an oil tank. However, Petrotrin was able to avert a catastrophe as only five barrels of oil leaked into the environment before it was contained.
Petrotrin President Khalid Hassanali said the removal of the bull plug at the base of the oil tank was the work of saboteurs who used a wrench to unfasten the plug. “We have taken note of this and reported it to the police,” Hassanali said.
While he admitted that it was extremely difficult to man all Petrotrin installations in the refinery, marine and field operations, Hassanali said hiring additional manpower was not an option at this time. Instead, he said Petrotrin would invest in technology that would better assist in keeping surveillance on all of Petrotrin’s installations.
“You have to remember that we have installations in the forests, so it would be impossible to hire watchmen to guard every installation. We are looking at investing in technology to assist in this regard,” Hassanali said. He admitted that no discussions have yet been held with the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) about the sabotage. Police officers from the Santa Flora Police Station visited the site and took statements.
It is uncertain who was in charge of the installation at the time of the incident, but Hassanali said an investigation has been launched. On Friday night, Petrotrin raised its threat alert after a cryptic warning was issued in a video posted on Youtube from the group Anonymous T&T. Describing itself as a “loosely associated international network of human/civil/animal activist,” the group called on Petrotrin to come “clean” on the Marabella oil spill and its impact on residents.
Filmed as a news bulletin and featuring an individual dressed in black and wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, the narrator accused Petrotrin of not being open with the nation on the impact the July oil spill. That spill which cost Petrotrin over $5 million resulted in 8,000 barrels of oil leaking into the Guaracara River. Dozens of residents were affected by the fumes and last week they staged a protest in Port-of-Spain calling on Petrotrin to compensate and relocate them.
The OWTU has distanced itself from allegation of sabotage, saying recent spills occurred because of Petrotrin’s failure to maintain ageing infrastructure. OWTU President Ancel Roget was not available for comment up to late yesterday, as calls to his cellular phone went unanswered.