The leak was detected overnight from Saturday to Sunday. No more crude oil flows into the Loire but interventions are underway to permanently plug the leak.
franceinfo – With France Bleu Loire Ocean
Radio France
Published on 24/11/2024 08:17
Reading time: 2min
A crude oil leak was detected at the TotalEnergies refinery in Donges (Loire-Atlantique), during the night from Saturday to Sunday, reports France Bleu Loire Océan on Sunday November 24.
The event occurred on Saturday around 10:50 p.m. The leak materialized by “a breach of 2 cm on a weld bead” creating a trickle of flow in the Loire and an iridescent phenomenon with a surface area of approximately 500 m2 in the river, specifies the department prefecture, in its situation update at 7 a.m. “This area could be partly contained by a double containment system via floating booms despite climatic (wind, swell) and natural (ebb tide) conditions which make it difficult to encircle this iridescent zone”we can read in the press release.
“As soon as the event occurred, the section of the line concerned was isolated”adds the prefecture. Since 3:45 a.m. on Sunday, no more crude oil has flowed into the Loire but interventions are underway to permanently plug the leak.
According to initial analyses, the authorities assure that the iridescent waters “should partly disperse naturally and return, by the action of the wind, to the banks”. The measurements carried out by TotalEnergies in the commune of Donges did not detect the presence of volatile organic compounds linked to this event. New reconnaissance will be carried out at daybreak to better assess the environmental impacts.
“The Donges refinery regrets the inconvenience caused and is doing everything possible to resolve the situation as quickly as possible”TotalEnergies informs France Bleu Loire Océan. No injuries were reported.
