VietNamNet Bridge – According to the latest statistics, 20 coastal provinces in the central region and the south of Vietnam have been attacked by mysterious oil spills. Controlling and preventing oil spills is still a challenge for Vietnamese scientists.

Widespread oil pollution

Major-general Nguyen Son Ha, Chief of the Ministry of Defence’s Rescue Agency, Chief of the National Search and Rescue Committee Office, said that oil pollution had been taking place complicatedly on a wide scale since late January 2007. By April 23, 1,721 tonnes of oil had been collected.

Recently, Bach Long Vi Island in Hai Phong city become the first location in the north affected by oil pollution, with 20 tonnes of oil collected. Seriously hit provinces are Quang Nam, Da Nang, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

The Environmental Protection Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment’s tests show that oil collected on the coast of the central region was crude oil with a low content of sulphur and high content of parafin.

According to analysis of oil samples and photos taken from satellites, the oil spills can hardly come from oil fields off the coast of Vietnam.

The oil found in Ba Ria-Vung Tau is also crude oil but it is different from the oil attacking the central region.

Since 1997, Vietnam has suffered nearly 60 cases of oil spills in its rivers and coastal regions, causing serious pollution in some locations. However, the origin of this year’s oil pollution is very mysterious and it is causing difficulties for competent bodies seeking measures to restrict and control the pollution.

‘Special medicine’ found?

The International Oil Treatment Company (OTI) of Switzerland on May 9 introduced a new technology to dissolve oil spills with micro-organisms.

Dr. A. Mojon, Director of research and production of OTI, introduced two products that can help quickly solve oil pollution. The advantage of those products, which are made from natural minerals, is that they are non-toxic and easy to use.

According to Dr. A. Mojon, the solid oil treatment (SOT) product is in powder form. After dusting SOT on the oil layer, within 2-4 hours this substance will make oil stick together and plunge to the seabed, leaving the water surface clean. SOT doesn’t harm the environment and will be totally disintegrated after 3-4 months and not leave any toxic substances in the sea.

The liquid oil treatment (LOT) product can also be used to deal with oil pollution on soil and will not harm the environment. SOT and LOT can treat crude oil, diesel oil, FO and petroleum.

Those products have been tested and recognised by laboratories in the UK and US. Thailand used them to solve the case of 100,000l of oil spilt near its famous Koh Samet tourist site in January 2002.

To treat 1kg of oil requires 5kg of SOT, which costs $700-900 per tonne in the international market and only $190/tonne at OTI’s factory.

According to Dr. A.Mojon, the Environment Protection Agency will allow OTI to test those products on the coast of Vietnam in June 2007.

(Source: Ha noi moi)