Rama 3 oil leak probe finds underground cavity over five metres deep
Officials probe an underground cavity more than five metres deep near Rama 3 Road, with the source of the oil seepage still unconfirmed.
Investigators examining oil contamination near Bangkok’s Rama 3 Road have discovered an underground cavity extending more than five metres below ground, but have not yet found oil leaking directly from a fuel pipeline.
Thitipat Chotidechachainan, secretary to the energy minister and chair of the committee conducting intensive inspections for energy reform, said further inspections had instead identified oil seeping intermittently from the cavity.
Officials have pumped out oil-contaminated water and used sandbags to block the cavity, helping reduce the contamination.
Probe reveals cavity deeper than expected
As part of the investigation, teams temporarily removed the sandbags and inserted an approximately two-metre pipe into the cavity where oil had been seeping out.
The opening extended deeper than expected, requiring officials to attach bamboo to the pipe to probe further. They were able to reach more than five metres below ground.
The findings have prompted an urgent examination of the cavity’s structure and the routes through which oil may be travelling, with the aim of tracing its source.
Specialists and inspection cameras requested
The deputy director-general of the Department of Energy Business has requested assistance from Sustainable Solution Co., Ltd. to provide specialists and equipment for the investigation.
Inspection cameras will be used to examine the inside of the cavity and survey the underground structure, helping officials establish where the oil is coming from and what caused the seepage.
“We are working to identify the source and cause of the oil leak, because understanding the cause will allow us to address the problem directly,” Thitipat said.
“If officials identify the source or those involved, we are ready to take firm legal action, as the incident has caused widespread hardship and damage to the public.”
Officials from all agencies involved are continuing their inspections to contain the contamination and identify the source of the oil as quickly as possible.
