Ruptured refinery pipeline causes oil spill near Sea View

KARACHI: A damaged furnace oil pipeline caused significant traffic disruption near Karachi's Sea View on Sunday morning, prompting safety concerns in the area.

The leak, reported at 6am, occurred in a pipeline operated by Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL), according to SSP South. 

The spilled furnace oil spread onto a service road and seeped into a nearby residential complex, heightening worries among residents.

Refinery operations were halted immediately, and the pumping of oil was suspended to prevent further leakage, sources within the refinery said.

However, the authorities acted swiftly to contain the situation and the pipeline was repaired within a few hours.

PRL Managing Director Zahid Mir said that a team had been dispatched to repair the pipeline leakage on the Sea View service road shortly after the oil spill was reported.

Personnel from PRL and the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) were deployed to the site to oversee repairs and ensure public safety.

Cleanup crews are reportedly working to remove the spilled oil from areas affected by the seepage.

The incident disrupted traffic on Sea View road, leading to temporary closures and diversions. Commuters experienced delays as authorities cordoned off sections of the road to facilitate repair work and prevent accidents.

Zahid Mir confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the leak has also been launched.

This incident follows after a similar incident which occurred in October.

On October 12 leakage occurred in Khayaban-e-Sehar, DHA, where a National Oil Refinery pipeline ruptured, submerging a street in furnace oil, as per a report published in The News.

In that incident, police responded quickly by sealing off surrounding streets and warning residents to stay clear of the area. Efforts to repair the pipeline continued into the night.