Philippines plans to siphon off oil cargo from sunken tanker to avert ‘environmental catastrophe’ (apnews.com)
from Stamau123@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 26 Jul 2024 09:55
https://lemmy.world/post/17967410

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — There is no indication that a big cargo of industrial fuel oil stored in a tanker that sank in stormy weather in Manila Bay has started to leak, the Philippine coast guard said Friday, and plans are being firmed up to try to siphon off the highly toxic shipment to prevent a major spill that could reach the bustling capital.

The tanker Terra Nova had left Bataan province en route to the central province of Iloilo with about 1.4 million liters (370,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil stored in watertight tanks when it got lashed by huge waves and took on water. The crew struggled to steer the tanker back to port but it eventually sank shortly after midnight Thursday. The coast guard rescued 16 crewmembers but one drowned, coast guard spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said.

“We’re racing against time to siphon off the oil to avoid an environmental catastrophe,” Balilo told reporters, adding that the plans could be hampered if the weather turns bad.

#world

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str82L@lemmy.world on 26 Jul 2024 10:46 next collapse

Wouldn’t you need to be lower than the depth of the sunken tanker for syphoning to work?

FlyingSquid@lemmy.world on 26 Jul 2024 12:06 next collapse

I am guessing that- A. the leak is not at the bottom of the tanker and B. the sea floor would still be lower unless it was somehow buried and leaking at the same time.

[deleted] on 26 Jul 2024 12:21 next collapse
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Mac@mander.xyz on 26 Jul 2024 13:26 collapse

This doesn’t even make any sense

[deleted] on 26 Jul 2024 15:53 collapse
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Mac@mander.xyz on 26 Jul 2024 18:45 collapse

Damn. Point taken. Statement redacted.

Jajcus@sh.itjust.works on 26 Jul 2024 19:36 next collapse

Oil is lighter than water, so, in water, it will ‘want to go up’ rather than down. I guess something like reversed syphon could be possible. I am not sure if the density difference is enough for this to be practical, though.

Scubus@sh.itjust.works on 27 Jul 2024 00:12 collapse

Or they could just pump in pressurized air to make up the difference

shalafi@lemmy.world on 26 Jul 2024 19:21 next collapse

Lord. They just got through a typhoon. After that was gone my wife showed me pics of her hometown (Manila) airport flooded out. And now this.

Badeendje@lemmy.world on 26 Jul 2024 19:26 next collapse

I hope they get a lot of international help with this, especially by specialised companies

amanda@aggregatet.org on 27 Jul 2024 09:40 collapse

So they’re drilling for oil into a tanker?