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Pipeline rupture disrupts oil flow from port to refinery
View(s):By Damith Wickramasekara
The unloading of crude oil at the Colombo Port was suspended yesterday following a rupture of the pipeline carrying oil from the port to the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery. The rupture had occurred on a buoy connected to the pipeline about 6 km away from the outer harbour.
An Iranian vessel carrying 90,000 metric tonnes of crude oil was unloading crude oil when the rupture occurred. Ceylon Petroleum Corportation’s (CPC) Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya Secretary, Ananda Palitha told the Sunday Times the CPC will have to pay US$ 20,000 a day as compensation, if authorities fail to repair the damage within the next three days.
He further claimed that the oil pipeline, which is currently the only one supplying crude oil from the port to the oil refinery, was outdated and was below standard, noting that a similar rupture occurred about three weeks ago. He appealed to authorities to take urgent measures to lay a new pipeline to minimize the risk of such incidents.