By Sue-Ann Wayow
AN independent investigation will be launched into the disappearance of the four men who were sucked into an underwater pipeline three days ago and are now presumed dead.
This was announced by Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young.
The minister held a press conference on Monday to discuss the situation that has left family members in limbo as to what exactly happened just after 2 pm on Friday.
Missing are Rishi Nagassar, Fyzal Kurban, Yusuf Henry and Kazim Ali Jr. Christopher Boodram, the only one rescued is being treated at hospital.
Young who had just returned from his trip with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to Qatar on Friday evening, visited the offshore site on Saturday morning and met with family members later that day.
Young said since then, he has been in intensive discussions with various key personnel in the industry.
He said, “After consultation with the Honourable Prime Minister, I want to inform the population that we have taken a decision that there will be an independent investigation carried out by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries and we made it very clear that it would not be carried out by the Ministry of Energy personnel alone.”
Young said, “I personally have spoken to the executives, the heads of BP and Shell in Trinidad this morning. I have asked both of them for their assistance and to identify personnel from BP and Shell. What I envisage at this stage is a five-member panel investigative committee probably to be chaired by one of the permanent secretaries at the Ministry of Energy to be supported by independent professional experts with the requisite expertise.”
In speaking to the experts of bpTT and Shell, Young said they have agreed to collaborate to ensure no duplicity of expertise in who they volunteer for the investigation.
Experts from BP and Shell also recommended having an expert professional diver who has experience in underwater dives for oil and gas explorations. The panel would also be provided with a lawyer, Young stated.
The minister said, “This investigation will take place. This investigation will be charged with the responsibility of going in, analysing what plans were put in place before the job started, what was taking place during this unfortunate and tragic accident, what took place thereafter, an analysis and a critique of what took place at all levels…. importantly recommendations, identifications of any gaps that may have existed along the way.”
What could have happened…
Young showed a diagram of the site at Berth 6 in the Gulf of Paria where the incident took place and all that is visible above sea level are two pipes referred to as risers. Berth 6 pipeline is connected by a pipeline running parallel to the sea-floor to Berth 5. The Hyperbaric Chamber at Berth 6 was where the work was being conducted- work being done to fix a leak.
Giving further details based on information received, Young said, “Something took place that created a suction, sucking the five divers in from what was an air chamber into this 30 inch pipeline. The persons there managed to get two sets of equipment, one they actually got from Shell I believe which are ROVs (remotely operated vehicle) that they send down into the pipeline. It could not go in because you had to send some sort of mechanical technical equipment in to see what was taking place in this pipeline.”
Eventually, through the use of an underwater camera it was discovered that diving equipment was stuck in the pipeline about 120 feet parallel to sea level.
He said, “ So far, the thought process is that the diving equipment is two air tanks the men were carrying on their backs and that unfortunately blocked the ROV and the camera system from going any further to assist in the location.”
The minister said also though Berth 6 was cleared of fuel, there would have still have residue left in the pipeline.
“There is always danger in performing these tasks,” he said.
