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New Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Penang steps up gas pipeline monitoring after Putra Heights blast
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government is stepping up checks on gas pipelines in the state to ensure a Putra Heights-like disaster does not happen. State Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari (DAP-Tanjung Bunga) said the state Disaster Management Committee was reviewing matters related to policy, strategy, directives, action plans and the overall direction of disaster management. He said the committee was chaired by the state secretary and met twice a year. Zairil said all relevant departments and agencies, including district officers who chair district Disaster Management Committees, were also reviewing these matters. "To ensure safety, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) annually audits pipeline operators, including inspections such as hydrostatic and pneumatic testing. "These audits are part of efforts to enforce the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and the Petroleum (Safety Measures) Act 1984. "Pipeline safety is national safety. DOSH monitors for leaks, verifies permits and takes immediate action when standards are not met. "Generally, inspection results are satisfactory, with operators complying with the legal requirements," he said in response to questions from Lee Khai Loon (DAP-Machang Bubuk), Zulkefli Bakar (Bersatu-Penanti), Phee Syn Tze (DAP-Sungai Puyu) and Abidin Ismail (Pas-Sungai Bakap). Zairil said DOSH also conducted surprise inspections on pipelines and issued directives to ensure compliance with the law. He said any leakage risks were managed periodically and in a controlled manner based on technical inspection results. "Immediate corrective action orders are issued to operators to ensure risks remain under control," he added. The Peninsular Gas Utilisation (PGU) pipeline, operated by Petronas Gas Bhd and owned by Petronas, runs for 42km through Penang. It enters from the Sungai Kerian border and continues through towns such as Relau, Machang Bubuk, Mengkuang, Ara Kuda, Kampung Selamat and Pinang Tunggal before crossing into Kedah. Another 23km pipeline supplies natural gas to three key power stations: SKS Prai Power Plant, TNB Prai and TNB Gelugor. The Putra Heights pipeline explosion early last month caused a towering inferno that damaged 219 homes, with losses estimated at RM65.4 million. The full report into the disaster is expected some time this month.
New Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Two cases of Petronas underground gas pipeline land encroachment detected in Pendang
ALOR STAR: The state government has alerted Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) of two encroachment incidents along the company's gas pipeline in Pendang district. State Housing, Local Government and Health Committee chairman Mansor Zakaria said the encroachment involved the excavation of red soil along the Petronas gas pipeline in Kampung Padang Pusing and Kampung Sungai Jagung. "Actually, the encroachment area is quite small; it's understood that villagers have been removing red earth from the site because there's red soil there — what they plan to do with it is unclear, possibly to build a house. "I was informed by the Pendang District Office that there was excavation of red earth several years ago, but the gas pipeline is buried quite deep, more than (6.4m). "Even so, we want to prevent any risks in case the digging continues over time and becomes dangerous. "That's why we want Petronas to come in and inspect, cordon off the area, put up tape, and so on to ensure no further encroachments occurs," he told reporters after the state assembly sitting in Wisma Darul Aman today. Earlier Tokai assemblyman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman asked if the state government has identified any encroachment along Petronas gas pipelines in the state, following the gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Selangor, early this month. On April 1, the underground gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights saw flames shoot up more than 30m high, with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius, taking nearly eight hours to be fully extinguished. The incident affected 437 residential properties, including 81 that were completely destroyed, with the value of losses estimated at RM65.4 million. Mansor said the state government has instructed Utiliti Infra Darul Aman (UIDA) to discuss with Petronas to remap the national oil company's gas pipeline routes in Kedah. "Their (Petronas') pipeline system wasn't previously included in our (state government's) maps, so we've requested a remapping to ensure it is recorded in UIDA's mapping system. "This is to ensure that for any future developments, the local authorities will be able to properly advise on the existence of a gas pipeline, meaning no heavy construction involving piling and similar work should be permitted," he said.
