Muhammad Faishal: Oil leak at PCG’s Brani Base on 5 Feb caused by damaged fuel hose
The oil leak at the Police Coast Guard’s Brani Regional Base on 5 February was caused by a damaged fuel hose, said Minister of State Faishal Ibrahim. The leak began at 11.40 am but was misidentified as a water leak, delaying detection. It was only confirmed at 3.25 pm by MPA, and a contractor stopped it at 3.40 pm. Clean-up efforts were completed by 8 February.
SINGAPORE: The oil leak at the Police Coast Guard’s (PCG) Brani Regional Base on 5 February 2025 was due to a damaged fuel hose connecting the wharf’s fuel distribution network to a fuel dispenser on a pontoon, said Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development.
The hose developed micro-cracks from cyclical stresses during routine coiling and uncoiling, eventually leading to a tear.
Responding to WP MP Dennis Tan’s parliamentary question on 27 February, Faishal confirmed that 23 tonnes of diesel had leaked into waters south of Singapore.
The fuel hoses are inspected monthly, with the last check conducted on 17 January and the next one scheduled for the week of 10 February.
Tan inquired about the cause of the oil leak at Brani Regional Base, the possibility of a formal investigation, and whether the full findings would be made public.
Misidentified Gas Leak by Auxiliary Officer Led to Detection Delays, Says Faishal
According to Faishal, the oil leak at the Police Coast Guard’s Brani Regional Base on 5 February was first detected by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) at 3.25 pm, prompting PCG to investigate.
A contractor performing unrelated work discovered the leak and independently stopped it at 3.40 pm by isolating the main valve.
Subsequent checks confirmed the damaged fuel hose as the sole source, and clean-up operations, including deploying booms and drones, were completed by 8 February.
Earlier in the day, the leak had started at 11.40 am but was misidentified as a water leak by an Auxiliary Police Officer, leading to delays in detection, said Faishal.
Following the incident, Faishal said PCG inspected all fuel hoses at Brani Base on 6 February, extending checks to Loyang, Lim Chu Kang, and Gul Regional Bases by 8 February.
“While PCG’s maintenance and reporting protocols are generally consistent with industry best practices, PCG is reviewing them nevertheless to further reduce the likelihood of leaks of such magnitude in the future, ” Faishal added.
