Green NGO flags concern on LNG explosions

Environment NGO Din l-Art Helwa has expressed its concern on the safety of the LNG gas tanks. In a letter sent to MEPA chairman Vince Cassar, DLH secretary general George Camilleri said MEPA could not ignore that the potential for a tragic accident existed.

The NGO’s alarm was raised by information of an accident that occurred recently at an LNG facility on the Washington-Oregon border.

“Although the number of fatalities was not impressive enough to achieve world-wide headline status, the significance of the accident should not escape the attention of our decision makers,” DLH said.

According to the report, state police evacuated some 400 residents to a 3.2 kilometre radius.

“One assumes that the state police considered that anybody within the 3.2 kilometre radius could be in some danger from the damaged facility.

“This is in contrast to the Delimara LNG facility, which is going to be within 1.5 km of Marsaxlokk with a population of 3,000.”

Din l-Art Ħelwa reiterated the floating storage unit (FSU) should not have been approved once the potential for a tragic accident does exist.

“Although the probability of a mishap has been arguably estimated as being extremely remote, the very fact that the possibility does exist should have ruled out the approved solution and opted for the safer FSRU one,” DLH said.

“The entire MEPA board bears the cross of an enormous burden of responsibility on its conscience for approving the project before complete studies had been carried out.”

It said that had the studies been carried out, it would have transpired that the Delimara configuration with an FSU in harbour and with an onshore regasification plant is unique in the world.

16 offshore FSUs have either already deployed or are in the process of being deployed.

Moving a combination offshore regasification facility many kilometres offshore will completely eliminate any possible chance of such occurrences ever causing harm to the residents.

“Although unfortunately the die seems to be cast, your comments, as MEPA Chairman, would be welcome in view of the reported accident,” Camilleri told the MEPA chairman.