Ms. Thitipat Chotdechachainan, secretary to the Minister of Energy, disclosed that the leak point in the oil transport pipeline on Chuea Phet Road, Rama 3, has been located. It lies beneath a pipe sleeve about 1.8 metres long that is so tightly attached to the pipe it cannot be slid off, so the sleeve must be peeled away sheet by sheet to inspect the pipe's condition in detail. Results of testing with a UT Scan, or Ultrasonic Testing, yesterday evening indicated that the seepage point is about 1.2 metres in from the end of the sleeve, and a gash roughly 6.6 centimetres long and about 7 millimetres deep was found on the pipe. The Department of Energy Business has instructed Bangchak Corporation to bring in a qualified third party to help with the inspection. The engineering team will speed up repairing the gash using the wrap method, then re-check with UT Scan and other tools at least twice before entering the pressure test process. After that, an intelligent pigging test will be run to inspect the entire roughly 32-kilometre length of the pipeline in order to assess pipe thickness and search for additional leak-risk points. If risk points are found, the company must prepare a pipe replacement plan, including for the currently damaged point. Meanwhile, the Department of Energy Business has ordered the company to submit the pipeline's maintenance history and data on all locations where pipe sleeves were installed, especially all pipeline sections at the bridge piers, which must be surveyed and re-planned to align with current site conditions.
Bangchak Corporation Public Company LimitedDepartment of Energy Business ordered Bangchak to bring in a third party, repair the pipeline gash, submit maintenance history, and prepare a pipe replacement plan after the leak was found.
