More West Dem residents complain of suspected oil seepage, explosion of floor tiles 

Oct 17, 2024 News

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– As EPA reportedly downplays their concerns

(More West Dem residents complain of suspected oil seepage and even an explosion of their floor tiles on Wednesday).

 

By Rehanna Ramsay

Kaieteur News – More residents in nearby villages located on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) have complained of suspected oil seepage and even an explosion of their floor tiles.

This comes hours after Kaieteur News published a story highlighting the plight of Basmatie Singh, a resident of Crane Nouvelle/Flanders, WCD.

Singh reported that she is living in constant fear for her health since the appearance of a mysterious oily substance in her living room on October 3.

The woman, who resides with her son, had told this newspaper that she discovered drops of an oily substance in the bottom flat of her two-story home, a short distance from the Crane, WCD sea front, while cleaning two weeks ago.

Since then, teams from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) have visited her home. Initial test conducted by EPA on October 8 revealed that substance in the living room area was high in Sulphur Dioxide.

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), according to the American Lung Association, is a gaseous air pollutant composed of sulfur and oxygen. “SO2 forms when sulfur-containing fuel such as coal, petroleum oil, or diesel is burned,” the Association said. Inhaling this gas can be extremely dangerous to human health causing wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness and other problems.

According to the American Lung Association, “Long-term exposure at high levels increases respiratory symptoms and reduces the ability of the lungs to function.”

The Singhs noted the fumes from the substance has been causing them concern for their health as it causes an irritation burning sensation of the eyes and nose.

Just streets away in the same village, Nandanie Singh reported experiencing similar oil like substance appearing on the floor tiles of her kitchen.

She told this newspaper that the strange matter started appearing on the floors over eight months ago.

“We see it but we didn’t take it for nothing because it didn’t have a scent or so. Our house is open out so we have air coming in. I don’t know if that is why we ain’t getting no scent,” Nandanie told this publication during a visit to her Crane Housing Scheme, WCD residence.

She said that she only became concerned after speaking to another villager who shared that the substance may be as a result of an oil seepage.

The young woman told this newspaper that her family has lived in the house for more than 30 years and never experienced substance mysteriously appearing on the floors.

“When you touch it, it feel like oily, greasy and it appears on top of the tile and between the crease at night and in the morning, we does clean it up and wipe whatever spots we see in the day with tissue but it comes back and it does leave spots and making holes damaging the tile,” she said.

The young woman noted that given her concerns, she reached out to the EPA.

“I called them yesterday [Tuesday] and they came today [Wednesday]. The EPA tell we that is the dust, moisture and heat causing it. They said because we cooking in the kitchen, it could have spots of grease and oil on floor. They said that even the chemicals from the bottom of the rubber mats can cause the spots to appear,” she said.

Nandanie said that the EPA said too that they didn’t find any toxic gas present in their home.

However, the young woman stated that despite the EPA’s explanation, the family is still unclear why the substance is coming up through the crease of the tiles every night.

“My mother… is over 40 years she lived here… since she was a child. This never happened,” Nandanie stated.  She said that she will keep monitoring the situation and inform the authorities if it worsens.

Meanwhile, when this newspaper visited the home of Basmatie Singh again to reassess the situation, it was observed that the fumes in the home were not present. The woman said she had left the windows and doors open as she continues to fear for her health.

American oil giant, ExxonMobil has laid a 12-inch pipeline a stone’s throw away from Singh’s home. The pipeline is connected to the Liza One and Liza Two Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSO) offshore. It will transport gas to the Wales Development site.

In August, Exxon completed hooking up the pipeline to the two FPSOs. The company had said it would pump an earthen gas-like nitrogen – along with water into the structure, until the construction of the gas plants is completed at Wales.

Kaieteur News also visited another resident living at Harlem, WCD who recounted a strange explosion of tiles in her kitchen floor about two weeks ago.

The woman who lived at her Harlem residence for over 33 years related: “The whole tile break up and explode… I was laying down when I hear the commotion, like a hissing sound and then it sound like something cracking but I didn’t get up right away to check because I was frightened.”

According to the resident, the tiles were installed in kitchen about four years ago.

“I live here long, my floors got tiles years now, truck pass on the public road and all kind of thing and we never had no tile explode,” she remarked.

In addition to the explosion in her kitchen, the woman also noticed some strange marks on her tiled floor.

“I said like is something eating and coming through. I thought was termite but I never knew that termite does eat tile, I don’t take it for nothing because we clean it every day,” she told Kaieteur News.

The Harlem resident said she did not inform the EPA of her strange discovery. She believes that the vibrations from Exxon’s drilling operations in Crane, to facilitate the pipeline, could have led to the explosion of her tiles.

If anyone is experiencing any similar occurrence, please make contact with Kaieteur News on telephone numbers: 225- 8491/601-2231.

 

(More West Dem residents complain of suspected oil seepage, explosion of floor tiles )

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• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), health concerns, oil seepage, Residents, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL)

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