Democrat Party questions Energy Ministry over oil leak

Thairath•Politics•44m ago

Reader Briefing

The Democrat Party expressed concerns over the Ministry of Energy's oil pipe leak testing standards and urged the use of intelligent pigging technology.

•Siripa Intavichien and Korn Chatikavanij of the Democrat Party visited an oil leak site in Khlong Toei on September 16, 2026.
•The Democrat Party questioned why the Ministry of Energy tested pipes at 28 bar for only one hour, which is below standard pressure and duration.
•The Democrat Party proposed using intelligent pigging technology to identify micro leaks and map the pipeline from Phra Khanong to Bang Pa-in.

Overview

•On September 16, 2026, Siripa Intavichien and Korn Chatikavanij visited an oil leak area in Khlong Toei.
•Oil leaked from an underground cavity, and tests showed the oil was old with high sulfur levels.
•Siripa Intavichien stated that Bangchak representatives reported multiple leak points, though only one underground cavity was found.
•Siripa Intavichien questioned the Ministry of Energy for testing at 28 bar for one hour, noting actual transmission uses 30-40 bar.
•Siripa Intavichien cited ASME B31.4 standards requiring tests at 1.25 times the design pressure for 2-8 hours.
•The Democrat Party recommended using intelligent pigging technology with an error margin of no more than 1-2 meters to locate leaks.
•Siripa Intavichien warned that using machinery to excavate near pipes full of oil and cavities poses a risk of explosion from sparks.
•Siripa Intavichien noted that pipes used for over 30 years must still comply with the Ministerial Regulation on oil pipeline transport systems.

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Key Entities

Organization

Democrat Party(พรรคประชาธิปัตย์)

A political party whose representatives inspected an oil leak site and questioned the Ministry of Energy.

Ministry of Energy(กระทรวงพลังงาน)ℹ️

The government body responsible for oil pipeline testing and standards.

Bangchak(บางจาก)

The company whose representatives provided reports on the oil leak points.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers(สมาคมวิศวกรเครื่องกลแห่งประเทศ สหรัฐอเมริกา)ℹ️

The organization that defines the ASME B31.4 standard for liquid pipeline transportation.

Person

Siripa Intavichien(ศิริภา อินทวิเชียร)

Deputy Spokesperson of the Democrat Party.

Korn Chatikavanij(กรณ์ จาติกวณิช)ℹ️

Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party.

Place

Khlong Toei(คลองเตย)ℹ️

The area where the oil pipeline leak occurred.

Phra Khanong(พระโขนง)

The starting point of the oil pipeline route.

Bang Pa-in(บางปะอิน)ℹ️

The destination point of the oil pipeline route.

Law

Ministerial Regulation on Oil Pipeline Transport Systems 2021(กฎกระทรวง ระบบการขนส่งน้ำมันทางท่อ พ.ศ. 2564)

The regulation governing the standards and requirements for oil pipeline transport.