OfReg responds to oil tank leak reports

With reports recently circulating in the local media that the November 2019 huge leak of diesel from the Jackson Point storage tank was preventable, the Utility Regulation and Competition Office (OfReg) has issued a statement in which it says it wanted to clarify the current situation regarding the incident, which occurred at one of its licensee’s storage facility.

OfReg said it has been taking “appropriate actions” regarding the tank leak at the Rubis Terminal in late 2019. They said the event kick-started a preliminary investigation conducted by external consultants Spenergy, who only released their report in January of this year.

This report has not as yet been released by OfReg because there were aspects of the investigation still ongoing, they explained. Blaming the global pandemic for slowing down the process, they said to ensure compliance with the necessary legal requirements and protocols (including guaranteeing due process and engagement of the parties concerned), some additional steps were still needed to properly conclude the investigation. They anticipated that their official report would be ready by June of this year and said that the case file would be submitted to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions for further handling.

OfReg said they wished to assure the public that any potential impact that might have arisen at the time of the incident or subsequently was adequately addressed.

“An environmental assessment was commissioned at the facility and all surrounding areas by the relevant authorities to ensure appropriate action was taken,” they confirmed, adding that due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, they could not provide additional comments at this time and that the media would need to wait for the official final report.