An incident occurred on the Tazama Pipeline in Mbeya Tanzania on Monday the 15th of May, resulting in leakage of low Sulphur diesel.
By Hon. Eng. Peter C. Kapala
Minister Of Energy.
Lusaka, May 16 – I wish to inform the general public that an incident occurred on the Tazama Pipeline in Mbeya Tanzania on Monday 15th May 2023, around 13:40 hours, resulting in leakage of low Sulphur diesel.
The Tazama Pipeline is a 1,710 Km petroleum pipeline which transports low Sulphur diesel from Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to Ndola in Zambia.
The pipeline is jointly owned by the Governments of the Republic of Zambia and United Republic of Tanzania.
Particulars of the incident are that on Monday 15th May 2023 at about 13:40 hours, a motor grader contracted by Tanzania Rural Roads Authority, TARuRA, a government agency, whilst carrying out road works at Swaya, near M.U.S.T. Iyunga, ruptured the Tazama pipeline causing damage resulting in spillage of Low sulphur diesel.
Immediately after the incident, the TAZAMA monitoring system at the Mbeya pumping station noted the spillage and dispatched a line survey along the line. At the same time, the Swaya Ward Councillor called Tazama to report the incident. An emergency response team was organised and dispatched to the site.
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The team first carried out isolation of the damaged section by closing the valves on the pipeline. On arrival at scene, the team commenced procedures to contain the leak.
The leak was temporarily clamped at 23:00hrs. Due to the extent of the damage on the pipeline, a full maintenance team was dispatched from Dar es Salaam. The team from Dar-es-Salaam arrived at the site on Tuesday 16th May 2023 and commenced full repairs.
Preliminary estimates indicate that about 1.0 million litres of low Sulphur diesel may have been spilled. This represents about 0.9% of the stocks of low Sulphur diesel in storage in Dar-es-Salaam and thus will not significantly impact the supply of the product to the Zambian market. In addition to this, the product being transported through the pipeline is insured against such losses. Other costs such as the cost of repairs, mobilization of manpower and equipment, supervisory and administrative costs will be worked out after repairs are completed and demobilization is done.
I wish to re-assure the public that full repair works will be completed by the end of the day on Wednesday 17th May 2023. Afterwards, environmental clean-up works and site restoration will commence. In view of the foregoing I wish to commend Tazama pipeline management for the quick response to the incident and professionalism exhibited in addressing the emergency situation. I also wish to thank the Tanzanian authorities for securing the site in order to ensure safety of the community in the vicinity of the incident.
I further wish to re-assure the public that the Nation has approximately 52.8 Million litres of low Sulphur diesel in storage which is able to last for 15 days. Noting that the pipeline will commence operations immediately after the repairs are completed and the adequate stocks available in storage, there will be no disruptions in the supply of low Sulphur diesel.
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