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Over one million litres of Low Sulphur Gasoil (LSG) has leaked from the ruptured Tazama pipelines supposedly caused by a contractor, while carrying out road works.
The contractor, while grading the road, reportedly ruptured Tazama pipelines causing serious damage to the pipeline and spilling of over a million litres of gas oil.
In an official statement from Tazama Pipelines Limited, in Dar es Salaam, cost of repairs consisting of mobilisation of manpower and equipment, supervisory and administrative costs will be worked out after repairs were completed and demobilisation was done.
Tazama Pipelines Limited is a parastatal owned by the governments of Zambia and Tanzania by shares, 67 percent and 33 percent respectively.
“At around 1310 hrs on May 15, operator on duty noticed an abnormal change of parameters [a rapid pressure drop] downstream the pipeline. Immediately the station ordered a line survey to the walking patrols along the line and at about 1340 hrs the Swaya ward councillor rang Tazama to inform about the rupture.
“An emergency response team was organised and sent to the site. All procedures put in place were carried out like isolating the problematic section by closing the valves at Km 799 and km 856 Songwe. On arrival at scene at around 1430, the team assessed the situation and started procedures for containing the leak,” Tazama stated.
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According to Tazama, it was estimated that operations would resume by Wednesday on completion of repair works and environmental clean-up.
It noted that the pipeline had right of way was very well located but it seems the contractor neglected the markings.
Tazama stated that due to the abnormality of the rupture, [big hole caused the Motor grader blade] the team requested assistance from Dar es Salaam regional office, for more machinery/equipment assisted repairs.
“By the time of writing this report, the team with their equipment is on the way to the site,” Tazama stated.
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