Thai Oil Plc says a crude oil spill in the sea near its refinery in Chon Buri province has been contained, with no visible traces of oil remaining in the area.
The refining arm of the state energy enterprise PTT Plc on Saturday provided an update on the incident, which occurred offshore at a mooring site near its Si Racha refinery.
The leak began at 12.54am on Friday when strong winds exceeding 30 knots between Si Racha and Koh Si Chang severed a mooring line and disconnected an oil transfer hose, it said.
Although the emergency valve automatically shut off, residual oil in the pipeline leaked into the sea. About 8,000 litres of crude oil were spilled, with only a small amount escaping beyond the containment booms, the company said.
Extensive cleanup operations were launched immediately.
By Friday afternoon, aerial and sea inspections conducted by the Chon Buri Provincial Hall, the First Naval Area Command and the Marine Department confirmed no visible oil slicks around Koh Si Chang, Koh Khang Khao or nearby areas, Thai Oil said.
Authorities said the spill had no environmental impact. Consequently, the emergency coordination centre opened for the incident was closed at 5pm the same day. However, Thai Oil will continue to monitor the area and respond if any further oil traces are detected, it said.
Chon Buri governor Thawatchai Srithong said the spill posed no threat to nearby tourist destinations, including Pattaya and Bang Saen.
Marine Department director-general Kritpetch Chaichuay confirmed that Thai Oil would be held responsible for both compensation and environmental restoration.