A sudden and severe storm off the coast of Thailand late on the night of June 5, 2025, caused a supertanker to disconnect from an offshore pipeline in the Gulf of Thailand, leading to a crude oil spill, reports Marine Insight.
Oil Spill
An oil spill occurred off the coast of Si Racha District in Chonburi Province, Thailand, when a supertanker was unloading crude oil at SBM 2 (Single Buoy Mooring) shortly before 1:00 AM. Severe and unexpected high waves and strong winds struck the area, triggering the ship’s breakaway coupling system.
This safety system, designed for emergency disconnections to protect both the vessel and the offshore pipeline, inadvertently led to a leak in the pipeline system. Crude oil spilled into the sea during the 30-minute period it took to shut down the transfer.
The National Maritime Interests Protection Center (ThaiMecc) initially estimated the spill volume at 10,000 liters, but later revised this figure to 20,000 liters of crude oil, equivalent to approximately 4 to 5 tons. The Marine Department confirmed the incident occurred at coordinates 13°04.225′ N, 100°46.815′ E, noting that the oil slick was observed drifting southward at a speed of 1 to 2 knots.
Response Underway
A visual inspection of the recent oil spill revealed a primary 10-meter by 10-meter oil slick, which subsequently spread to cover an area of 20 to 30 square kilometers outside the immediate containment zone.
In response, the Marine Department, operating under the Prime Minister’s Office Regulations on Water Pollution Management from Oil and Chemicals (B.E. 2565), promptly issued an urgent request for cooperation to the Secretary-General of the Center for the Protection of National Maritime Interests.
Ms. Jittima Suthiphotiphong, an environmental specialist, was assigned by the Department as the coordinator for the cleanup operations. The Marine Water Authority (MWA) was confirmed to be overseeing all pollution control and response efforts.
A swift and decisive response included the deployment of a two-tier containment boom system around the spill: an inner circle at 300 meters and an outer circle at 600 meters. A skimmer device was also installed within the boom zone to suction the oil off the surface, with cleanup operations targeted for completion by Friday afternoon.
Beyond the immediate containment area, multiple entities were mobilized for broader response efforts. This included an oil company, along with a prominent energy company, the national petroleum authority, the Royal Thai Navy (specifically HTMS Tachai – Navy Area 1), the Chonlatharanurak team (from the Harbour Department), and a high-speed boat (SRC 4008). The response tactics employed included manual water stirring techniques and the aerial deployment of oil dispersants via Navy helicopters.
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Source: Marine Insight
