Lettersto the Editor
HomeGas was there first before schools were built
Dear Sir,
We read with some dismay the front-pagearticle of your 6 March issue entitled 'Schools in Danger' withregards to the Propane Gas Storage depot on Walkers Road.
We were disappointed to see that the articleseemed to be based entirely on a government report, that we feelcontained several inaccuracies and made comparisons to situationsthat are completely unrelated here in Cayman. Therefore, we believethat it is important that your readers are given enough relevantinformation to draw their own conclusions about the situation.
The location of the plant
Cayman's only propane plant is operatedby Home Gas Ltd. on Walkers Road and has been based there since1963. This plant was constructed prior to the government decisionto build local schools in the vicinity, several years later. Sincethe plant's construction, there has been a real commitment fromthe management of Home Gas to ensure that the propane plant complieswith all the necessary industry standards and codes, which allowsthe plant to operate securely and above all, safely. This safetycommitment extends to the transportation of gas around the Islandand the facilities used in residential and commercial properties.We believe that there is no better location on the island to bringin and distribute propane gas in Cayman.
Impeccable Safety Record
Home Gas Ltd. has always been pro-active in its safety proceduresand efforts at the plant. Years before the government conductedthe study and issued the report that you referred to, Home GasLtd. had employed top international industry consultants to monitorthe safety of the plant, constantly introducing new safety improvements,state of the art technologies, and making recommendations on howto improve the facilities at Walkers Road and throughout the company.These consultants have trained internal staff in all aspects ofthe operational procedures to deal with any potential safety issues.
At the propane plant, the emphasis has alwaysbeen on prevention rather than cure. All the facilities at HomeGas Ltd comply with all of the applicable National Fire ProtectionAssociation (U.S.) standards, which have also been adopted locallyin the Cayman Islands. All international safety codes are rigorouslycomplied with and Home Gas has worked tirelessly with the CaymanIslands Fire Dept. to keep these standards to the maximum level.
Currently, Home Gas' employees are in the process of inspectingevery single customer's gas installation on the Island to ensurethat all of the installations comply with industry standards.Having 4,000 residential and 325 commercial customers to takecare of, this is indeed a large investment of time and money byHome Gas to ensure that safety is kept at optimum levels.
While there has never been an accident atthe plant in 39 years at its location, Home Gas does have allthe necessary contingency plans in place as well as a remotelyoperated shutdown system in place and a sprinkler system aroundthe storage tanks to ensure that the gas tanks remain cool, thusminimising the likelihood and the effects, of a catastrophic event.
The report in question
Your article makes several references to a Government commissionedreport. You should be aware that the accepted industry safetydistance for a plant of this type is based on the size of theindividual storage tanks, and for this particular facility, suchdistance is 50 feet to the site boundary, to which it complies.In the unlikely scenario of a catastrophic event (if this wasever to happen), the acceptable separation distance (during theunlikely catastrophic event) as per the U.S. Federal Governmentto buildings is 240 feet and 1,150 feet for people exposed inoutdoor settings, not the 1,500 feet referred to in your article.In the original draft report submitted to us by the government,the consultants had made reference to a distance of 1,000 feetand while we have not received the final report, it would be asurprise to us to see a larger distance being applied withoutany scientific justification, and clearly deviating from knownindustry and US Federal Government guidelines.
The report also makes references to explosionsat other locations around the world in the gas industry. Briefly,the 1984 explosion in Mexico refers to a gas plant considerablylarger than that the one located at Walkers Road. To be exact,the facility in Mexico City was 19 times larger than Home Gas'storage plant, and their largest tank was 21 times larger thanour largest. The amount of gas sold every single calendar dayin the Mexican plant would take Home Gas 2.3 years to sell, sothere is no way that a fair comparison can be drawn from thisMexican accident 18 years ago.
In Bangkok, the incident referred to wasthe result of a makeshift truck, built locally without regardsto any codes or regulations, which was transporting gas in anunsafe and reckless manner. The tanks installed on the truck werenot even designed to be used for product transportation. All thetrucks used at Home Gas are specifically designed and built inthe U.S. specifically to transport propane. All of the truckscomply with all of the international industry safety standards.
The accident in France referred to in yourarticle, occurred 36 years ago, in 1966 and was related to a petroleumrefinery, where a process particular to a production facilitycaused the accident. The particular process is not carried outin our facility, and as such, it has no relevance to the Caymanplant, as gas is not produced here on the Island. Again, to putthis in perspective, the largest tank at that facility was 17times the size of our largest tank.
Future Plans
In an effort to go above and beyond the call of duty, Home Gashas requested authorization from the government to replace itsexisting storage tanks with underground tanks, to provide an ever-saferstorage environment, and a more aesthetic look. At a cost exceedingCI$2.5 million, surely this illustrates an extreme commitmentto safety, which is far above standard international requirements.Home Gas will continue to take whatever steps are necessary toensure the safety of its plant.
The importance of Home Gas
Finally, some of your readers may be unaware of the importanceof Home Gas to Cayman and its economy. Propane gas is used byevery hotel and restaurant on the island to cook all the mealsenjoyed by tourists and residents. Home Gas services over 4,000residents and 325 commercial clients, and in the event of an electricaloutage as experienced at the beginning of the year, is the onlypower source available.
These facts illustrate that the plant does not pose any kind ofsafety threat to the surrounding area. If granted permission tobury these storage tanks, the plant will become the safest facilityof its kind in the Caribbean. We encourage your readers to takea look at this information and make their own minds up about thetrue story of Home Gas.
Maxine Bodden
Home Gas Ltd.
Editor's Note:For far too long several reports critical of the development ofthe Cayman Islands without regard to the present and future generationshave gone unheeded, after millions of dollars of the people'smoney was spent. Like other Government commissioned reports, includingthis particular one in question, the 'Petroleum Fuels Storageand Handling on the Cayman Islands' these studies at most timesdo not get to the public's review. As a committed voice of thepeople, we are obligated to bring to the attention of the publicevery matter of concern, which could negatively impact their lives,especially reports on issues which would normally remain to gatherdust and exacerbate a situation in need of attention, rather thanacted upon. We have no problem publishing letters addressed toour publication even if they are critical of us for promotingtransparency. This will continue to be done at our own cost; inan effort demonstrate a balance of our own views.