Staff at an oil company Okinawa Terminal Co. that stores petroleum and crude oil at Yonashiro Henza district of Uruma City, noticed a strong smell, and discovered that oil was flowing out from one of their 18 crude oil tanks at 3 p.m., Nov. 7.

4.5 kiloliters leaked crude oil was collected by 8 p.m. on the same day.

According to company officials, the floating roof of the tank that function as the cover tilted for some so far unknown reason and sank into the tank. That caused the oil flowing over from the tank.

The oil tank has remained without a cover for eight days, and company engineers are pouring carbon dioxide into the tank because they fear that the oil could gasify and ignite. The company is considering ways to move the oil into another tank.

There was no outflow to outside of the site because the workers intercepted the overflow with sandbags and were able to collect the leaked crude about 15 minutes after discovering the leak.

The tank’s capacity is 99,600 kiloliters, of which about 51,100 kiloliters is still in the tank.

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