KUCHING: IOT Management (IOTM) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Senari Synergy Sdn Bhd launched its Joint Oil Spill Drill at Senari Senari Oil, Gas & Chemicals Jetty recently (Oct 29, 2015).
The Managing Director of Senari Synery Sdn Bhd, Jefri Ahmad Tambi said in the press statement to The Borneo Post yesterday said that the drill was part of its annual procedure and in line with its continuous effort to promote healthy, conducive, secured and safe working environment.
“The purpose of the drill was to ensure that all Emergency Response Team (ERT) personnel are equipped with right equipment, tactical experience,sufficient knowledge and training for the team to calmly face and handle all circumstances that might arise during an oil spill incident, he said.
“The drill is also to comply with ERP: OSH (CIMAH) Regulation 1996 where the Joint Drill Exercise needs to be conducted at least once annually,”he added.
Also involved in the drill were Senari Synergy Port Sdn Bhd (SSPSB), Senari synergy Refinery Services Sdn Bhd (SSSSB) and Petroleum Industry of Malaysia Mutual Aid Group (PIMMAG).
Jefri explained that the jetty form a crucial element of oil and gas for Sarawak as it handles close to 800, 000 metric ton of petrol, gas, and bitumen for the consumption of Sarawak Southern Region annually.
In the statement, he revealed that the drill commenced with a simulated hose burst from a vessel during unloading RON95 at the Oil, Gas and Chemical jetty causing product spillage on jetty platform and also to the river, triggering an alarm to notify IOTM of the incident.
He further disclosed that IOTM initiated its Emergency Response Procedure and deployed its ERT supported by SSPSB and SSRSSB ERT to contain oil spillage at the Jetty Platform by using a spill kit & containment barrier.
Jefri added that the containment of oil spillage on the river is performed using an Oil Spill Response Equipment (OSRE) with the assistance of PIMMAG personnel and ASPSB’s Senari 1 and Senari 2 tugboats.
“This drill is an important aspect of our operation in ensuring that we are prepared at all time for any eventualities. The outcome of today’s drill will certainly be a platform for us to further improve ourselves as we move forward,” he enthused.
Meanwhile in the same press statement,State Director for Chief Government Security Office (CGSO) Sarawak Nazrul Rizal Abdul Rahim who witnessed the drill commented that the Senari Synergy Group had demonstrated their capabilities in responding to an isolated oil spill incident.
He congratulated them for their proactive effort in organizing the drill and that being classified as Sasaran Penting Level 2 it is very important for such exercise to be conducted and accessed regularly.
He hoped that a larger scale simulation exercise will be undertaken in the future within the vicinity area involving more players and involvement of more government agencies.
Also present were representatives from Department of Environment (DOE), Kuching Port Authority (KPA), Department of Safety and Health (DOSH), representatives from Shell Timur Sdn Bhd and Petronas Dagangan Berhad. The two hours drill began at around 9am and ends at 11.30am.