Approximately three weeks ago, an oil leak sprung from the underwater pipelines that run through the ‘Golfete de Coro’ in Falcón State, which carry supplies to the Paraguaná Refining Complex (CRP).
By Irene Revilla / Correspondent lapatilla.com
Marine biologist and university professor Eduardo Klein reported that the oil leak is about three weeks old and is located near Tiguadare Bay, in the Carirubana Municipality, an area that has been severely affected by the constant oil and gas spills in the last four years.
Although he has reported it on countless occasions through his account on X (formerly known as Twitter) the leak is still ongoing. Residents of the area made it known that the sea drift transports the crude oil at depth and is rarely seen on the shore because it is carried away by the current and the strong breeze characteristic of the area towards Zulia State.
#5Dic y sigue el derrame de petróleo en el tubo submarino de #PDVSA en #Tiguadare #Paraguaná. Ya tiene casi tres semanas derramando crudo al #GolfetedeCoro. Pero eso es normal en @PDVSA, no es así @JosueLorcaV? pic.twitter.com/cvv4Bf9IIZ
— diodon histrix (@diodon321) December 5, 2023
The protected areas where shrimp are found are deeply affected, since oil has decimated the species. In Tiguadare, people lived mainly from fishing, now they are raising animals such as pigs and goats, because artisanal fishing is now an unproductive activity.
They cast off with the little gasoline they buy through the ‘Patria’ System and arrive with empty baskets, and they also risk soiling and damaging work implements and boats with crude oil.
Between Friday, December 1st and Saturday, December 2, the spilled crude oil reached close to the shore of Tiguadare, but again with the breeze diverted it towards ‘Las Tijeras’ channel.
Given the constant complaints from the fishermen to PDVSA Oeste, they were informed that this next week (second week of December) divers from Zulia State should be arriving to repair the pipeline as usual: they use a rubber plug/brace to seal the hole and then put a clamp over it, all of which is manufactured in the same refinery.
In addition, they explained that they are transferring stored crude oil from Bajo Grande to the CRP to fill the refinery’s storage tanks, meanwhile part of that crude spills into the Golfete. In the last four years, fishermen have counted 50 spills that have affected the entire ‘Golfete de Coro’.
Although compensation was formally requested for the Falcón fishermen, those from Tiguadare are still waiting for PDVSA’s technical visit that is scheduled for December 15th in order to evaluate the damage to the fishing town, and after assessed, maybe receive compensation as has already been grated to Río Seco, in the Miranda Municipality.