Another Bahamas Worry: Oil Spills

Fuel storage silos on Grand Bahama Island showing leakage after Hurricane Dorian pounded the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm, Sept. 4, 2019. Damage to the facility is causing environmental concerns for sensitive mangrove and reefs near the terminal. (Jim Abernethy via Key News)

As nations worked on disaster response for Hurricane Dorian’s brutal assault on the Bahamas, a new environmental worry emerged last week: damage to an oil terminal on Grand Bahama that caused an unknown quantity of oil to leak. A photographer who flew over the site said some had spilled into the ocean.  

Aerial photographs showed roofs of oil silos at Equinor’s South Riding Point terminal had been ripped open by Dorian, with oil spilling onto the ground. Photographer Jim Abernethy said he took images of oil in nearby waters, but the company, based in Norway, said it did not have reports of any spill reaching the water. 

Oil on the water not far from an oil terminal damaged by Hurricane Dorian as seen from the air near Grand Bahama, Sept. 4, 2019. Damage to the facility is causing environmental concerns for sensitive mangrove and reefs near the terminal. (Jim Abernethy via Key News)

 “Six silos were definitely leaking,” Abernethy said. “It’s crossing the ocean.” 

Kathleen Sullivan Sealey, a marine biologist who studies coastal ecology at the University of Miami, said while the Equinor terminal was relatively small, it is located near very sensitive mangroves and coral reefs. With official attention focusing on storm relief, the Bahamas will need outside help, she said.

“There is not oil spill capacity in the country,” said Sealey, an associate professor. 

She said Bahama’s emergency agency is sending a team to assess the situation. She said the most likely source of help would be oil spill response teams based at Port Everglades. 

Equinor said it is too early to know the amount of oil leakage. The terminal has a capacity of more than 6.7 million barrels of crude and oil condensate storage.

The company said its first focus is on emergency assistance for 54 company workers as it starts to coordinate a response. It said it is able to account for all of its employees.

“We are working to mobilize vessels and equipment to get there as soon as possible,” said spokesman Hasting Stewart. “Our teams are working as hard as we can.”