Region One (Barima-Waini) is the most ‘at risk’ location in the country should an oil spill occur offshore, according to the preliminary findings in the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.
The draft plan, which is scheduled to be completed in the first week of November, was released on Wednesday, at the final stakeholder workshop held at the Herdmanston Lodge in Georgetown.
The plan details the Standard Operating Procedures and assigns responsibilities to various State entities, in the event of an oil spill.
According to the document, Regions 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 are likely to be most affected by an oil spill, particularly if it occurs offshore.
However, it singles out Region 1 as the most at risk coastal region, given the location of current and upcoming oil exploration and production.
Moreover, the document states that the likelihood of oil reaching shore following an oil spill offshore is to be assessed in a Risk Assessment, taking into consideration, among other things, travel distance, wave, and wind activity as well as location of the oil rigs.
It pointed out that communities location immediately along and/or washed by the Atlantic Ocean are anticipated to be the most at risk, if oil is to reach shore following a spill.
