CHENNAI: Coromandel International said in its affidavit filed before the National Green Tribunal that third party audit reports have found that there was no ammonia emission in the plant area during the incident in December 2023.

After Chennai witnessed Cyclone Michaung in December 2023, the company as a precautionary measure appointed an authorised marine contractor, to inspect the offshore pipeline systems to assess any impact in the unloading systems including boulder movements near the shore. The report submitted by the agency clearly confirmed that the shore adjacent to the ammonia pipelines is free of any boulders post inspection. The report said that there were no major beam or metal structure damage observed when compared to pre-cyclone conditions.

The company also carried out its routine inspection on December 21, 2023, prior to carrying out the pre-cooling operations. A physical inspection of unloading systems was held with external experts, it also verified the pipeline pressure which has been maintained at 2 kg per centimetre square, a standard protocol deployed to ascertain the integrity of the pipeline.

An expert who conducted the audit stated that the chances of line pressurisation beyond design condition are not credible scenarios. Even if the line temperature before starting of precooling is ambient, the likely increase in line pressure is well below the line design pressure value.

The report further stated that the pre cooling operation and shutdown were performed as per the established SOP.

Affidavit further stated that the leak at its plant in Ennore was an accident that happened due to factors beyond its control. The company took emergent action within minutes which prevented major mishaps and reiterated how its facility in Ennore, which has been operational since 1996, has the best safety measures and protocols.

“...in compliance with the direction issued by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, the company had stopped all the Ammonia offshore pipeline activities for precooling and unloading of ammonia. The company was also directed to identify the location and the extent of damage that happened to the offshore pipeline and to rectify the same. However, the company is not able to conduct inspection of the offshore pipeline due to the hostile situation prevailing outside the plant premises ,” said in the affidavit.