Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Update on Bukom Oil Leak Investigation

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the status of the joint investigation carried out by NEA and MPA in respect of the leak of oil slop from a land-based pipeline into the sea between Pulau Bukom and Bukom Kecil on 20 October 2024; and (b) whether the investigation has uncovered the reasons for Shell to take more than seven hours to discover the leak and notify the authorities, preventing mitigation measures to be carried out earlier.

Answer:

1 Shell Singapore Pte Ltd (Shell) submitted its investigation report on 20 November 2024 on the cause of the oil leak incident on 20 October 2024 and the key aspects of Shell’s response, including the events between the discovery of the oil spill and the notification of agencies. As the joint investigation by NEA and MPA is still ongoing, it would not be appropriate to reveal any details at this time.