Overview:
On 8/2 Pacific time, Typhoon Souledor made landfall at CNMI, directly over Saipan and very near Tinian, as a Category 2 typhoon. Soudelor brought hurricane force winds (near 105mph), heavy rains and coastal inundation.
Initial reports indicate that an above-ground storage tank containing gasoline at the Mobil Micronesia tank farm was damaged, opening a gash approximately 6 inches above the tank bottom. Tank 10 (230,000 gallon capacity) was impacted by a transportation container causing a 4-6 inch tear in the tank wall. Capacity of the damaged tank is unknown but gasoline has released into secondary containment. Secondary containment is holding and not overtopping from typhoon rain.
AFFF foam blanket was used to reduce evaporation, VOCs, benzene, and ignition risk. Mobil Micronesia on scene as responsible party. The Container is still in place but cannot be moved and 2 other containers are in the way. They are pumping out containment area with a diaphragm pump using generator power.
The Coast Guard Sector Guam has opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to address the Mobil Micronesia gasoline release and the diesel fuel release from the fuel tank on Delta Wharf. The CG Sector Guam is acting as first federal official on scene however, the Mobil Micronesia gasoline release is in the inland zone and thus, EPA’s responsibility. EPA has deployed 2 OSCs to the Mobil spill.
