Oil time-bomb ticking over North Chennai

By G Saravanan
Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on May 7, 2010:

CHENNAI: North Madras is perhaps sitting on a time bomb that is ticking away. Don’t dismiss this as routine media hyperbole.
For, North Madras has a crude oil pipeline connecting Chennai Port to Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (CPCL) refinery in Manali, which passed its use-by date almost a year ago. In fact, a high-ranking official openly admitted about a year ago that the pipeline “has outlived its life”. Yet, precious little is being done to replace it.

The 7 km pipeline was installed in 1969 when the annual production capacity of the Manali refinery was three million MT and the neighbourhood was not very crowded.

Within the last 40 years, the refinery output more than trebled at around 10 million MT per annum, requiring more crude oil to be pumped through the pipeline. The neighbourhood too is now densely populated.

The pipeline cuts through thickly populated areas, such as Kasimedu, Royapuram, Toll Gate and Port Trust residential colony. Alongside the pipeline, there are several educational institutions and factories that could take the hit if, God forbid, the 40-year old pipeline gets ruptured.

A typical petroleum-carrying pipeline has a safe life of around 30 years and requires extra monitoring beyond that. A study conducted by Engineers India Limited in 1996 had recommended scrapping the pipeline by 2006.

Significantly, a pipe carrying refined petro products to Korukkupet IOC terminal recently developed cracks due to increased pressure near Tondiarpet. Swift action by authorities averted a major disaster.

Fearing a disaster, an alternate pipeline option connecting the port with the refinery was proposed by CPCL years ago. However, there were concerns and opposition against the proposal as the pipeline would cut through densely populated areas of North Chennai.
Moreover, the alternative pipeline has not been issued environmental clearance by the Environment Ministry yet.