Oil Spill Near Prvča, Novigrad On Friday, an oil spill occurred on the Sisak‑Slavonski Brod pipeline near the settlement of Prvča in the municipality of Novigrad. According to Janaf, the company that operates the pipeline, approximately 500 cubic metres (500,000 litres) of oil leaked into the surrounding environment, of which about 200 cubic metres have been recovered to date. The damage was caused during maintenance work on the pipeline carried out by an external contractor. Janaf said the incident did not pose a risk to residents or to the supply of drinking water. The company also noted that the smell of oil, which is localised, is expected to diminish during the cleanup. Janaf’s Director of Safety and Protection, Ivan Cvitanović, explained that the incident occurred at the 88‑kilometre mark of the pipeline, close to the village of Prvča. Immediately after the leak was detected, transport of oil was halted by closing the block stations at Okučani and Lužani. Heavy machinery was deployed to excavate, expand the working area, and collect the leaking oil. Cvitanović said the damage was caused by contact between a piece of equipment and the pipeline’s casing. Responsibility for the incident will be determined later; the current priority is the remediation of the site. The pipeline remains closed, and the breach in the central section has been successfully sealed. Oil will be returned to Janaf’s system after the remaining oil is collected over the next few days. The cleanup will include removal of contaminated soil and restoration of the area to its original condition. Water and air quality will be continuously monitored, with oversight from Hrvatske vode (Croatian Water Management). An inspector from the State Inspectorate has been observing the remediation process. Janaf’s Technical Director, Petar Bresnik, confirmed that no personnel were injured during the incident or the cleanup. He added that the teams have been working on site for about 15 hours since yesterday and that there have been no adverse health effects reported. City officials have stated that there is no danger to the drinking water supply. The nearest water pumping station is about 15 kilometres from the spill site, and another is roughly 20 kilometres away. The city mayor, Sabina Vlaović, reiterated that, based on current information, the spill does not threaten the municipal water supply. The cleanup is expected to be completed within a few days.
Article source: Večernji List | Image credit: Večernji List