DOE to FPIC: Make sure black oil pipeline 'clean' before resuming ops

Before resuming operations of its black oil pipeline (BOPL), the First Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC) must first make sure it is clean and free from leaks, Energy Undersecretary Jose Layug Jr. said on Tuesday. The Supreme Court on Monday allowed FPIC to resume operations of its BOPL. "Nang pina-clarify namin kinausap namin FPIC ... sabi nila black oil pipeline; siguraduhin lang na walang butas at tsinek naman nila," Layug said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said the BOPL is different from the white oil pipeline (WOPL), which caused problems when it leaked oil into a condominium building in 2010. In November 2010, the Supreme Court issued a writ of kalikasan and a temporary environmental protection order (TEPO) that mandated FPIC to stop the operations of the White Oil Pipeline (WOPL) of the FPIC, but the Lopez-owned company assumed that the BOPL is also covered by the order. The SC is handling the writ of kalikasan (environment) petition filed by West Tower residents last November. The WOPL, which extends 117 km from Batangas province to Manila's Pandacan district, is the one that leaked near the West Tower Condominium in Makati City. On the other hand, the BOPL extends 105 kilometers and transports bunker fuel to an oil depot in Sucat, Parañaque City. "Nilinaw namin ang kasama sa order ng writ of kalikasan ng Supreme Court, ang white oil pipeline," Layug said. - VVP, GMA News