Jurong Rock Caverns

Image Credit: JTC

Image Credit: JTC

 

1. Background

Officially opened on the 2nd of September in 2014, Jurong Rock Caverns is a commercial underground storage facility for oil and petrochemicals. A first in Southeast Asia, and also the deepest underground structure in Singapore so far, it is approximately 130 metres beneath the Banyan Basin. Costing a grand sum of $1.7 billion, the infrastructure stores liquid hydrocarbons such as crude oil, condensate, naphtha and gas oil. Its location complements Jurong Island’s role as a petrochemicals hub and enhances the synergy among corporations such as Chevron Philips, ExxonMobil and Shell. ( 2014, September 2. Five things to know about the Jurong Rock Caverns. Straits Times. Retrieved from: http://www.straitstimes.com/ )

 

2. Critique of Impact:

Does the construction of Jurong Rock Caverns reap any environmental benefits for Singapore? Unfortunately, my opinion here is no, it does not. Here are my reasons for stating so:

(a) Instead of being an alternative to land reclamation, going subterranean in this case has no tangible benefits for the conservation of the ecosystem as the cavern itself sits underneath a stretch of reclaimed land that makes up Jurong Island. As mentioned, reclamation of land is done at the expense of the natural habitats of marine life and birds.

Image Credit: JTC

Image Credit: JTC

(b) Being underground, water percolating inside the walls of the cavern is inevitable. Yet necessary as it prevents the hydrocarbons stored to leech into the rocks. With the emphasis on an equilibrium between too much and too little, it is hence key to contain the challenge of the ingress of water. This is achieved through the application of the Water Curtain System, as pictured in the image above. Whilst it solves the dilemma of many an engineer, the water curtain galleries present a conservation conundrum in the wastage of water.

 

As seen, the impact the Jurong Rock Caverns effect, although positive on the economic front, is largely adverse for conservation efforts, whether for the fragile ecosystems present or for water.

 

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