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OfReg and Sol Joint Statement
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  • Press Releases

The Utility Regulation and Competition Office (OfReg) and Sol Petroleum Cayman Limited (Sol) issue the following joint statement in relation to the fuel tank fire which occurred at the Jackson Point Terminal on the 23rd of July 2017 (Incident).
Following an exhaustive investigation, OfReg and Sol would like to inform the public that agreement has been reached in relation to the imposition of an appropriate Administrative Fine by OfReg to be paid by Sol in relation to the Incident. This Administrative Fine, in the sum of CI$200,000 (plus costs of CI$86,700 for the investigation), is intended to reflect the potentially serious nature of the Incident and the concerns raised in the community, but also recognise Sol’s history in the Cayman Islands as a good corporate citizen, noting, in particular, Sol’s transparency and full cooperation with the investigation, acceptance of responsibility and good health and safety record prior to the Incident.
OfReg and Sol are satisfied that they have established and identified the circumstances and contributing factors leading to the Incident and wish to reassure the public of the Cayman Islands, that where applicable, lessons have been learnt, shortcomings addressed and measures put in place to guard against any possibility of a repetition of the Incident in the future, including an agreement that there shall not be any welding conducted on in-service fuel storage tanks.

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Sol Reviewing Of Reg’s Final Report

SOL PETROLEUM CAYMAN LIMITED (Sol) confirms that it was today  made aware of the publication of the OfReg final investigation report  conducted by the Utility Regulation and Competition Office of the Cayman Islands (OfReg) regarding the 23 July  2017, Jackson Point Terminal Tank Fire incident.
Sol has commenced a review of the report and will issue a statement in relation thereto in due course. Sol  respects the Cayman Islands Government’s processes and the community within which we operate, and will continue to update the public as promised. We reaffirm our commitment  to ensuring that  our Health and Safety standards and protocols accord with industry best practice   and  OfReg’s recommendations.
Serving the people of Cayman Islands is at the core of everything we do at Sol. We thank you for your understanding, and we pledge to continue helping the Cayman Islands build communities where we are all proud to live, work and play.
Sol will continue to provide updates at www.solpetroleum.com/jacksonpoint

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Sol committed to South Church Community

Sol is an integral member of the South Church Street and wider Cayman community, with which it has grown over the past fifty-seven (57) years. Sol sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the Jackson Point incident and the displacement of its immediate neighbours.
During the incident, some residents of the South Church Street area were unable to return to their homes due to evacuation orders issued by Police and Fire Services and had to seek alternative lodging. Sol strives to be a good neighbor and support the communities within which it operates. As part of its commitment to the community, Sol confirms that it will compensate residents, on an ex-gratia basis, for direct out of pocket expenses related to alternative accommodation incurred by residents who were not allowed to return to their homes on the evening of July 23rd. Sol is asking that affected residents submit their reimbursement claims to the company’s main office. The claim should include a copy of the invoice detailing the cost of the alternate accommodation for July 23. Residents are also asked to submit a utility bill or other proof of address showing that they reside in the affected area.
Sol reiterates its gratitude to the Emergency Response Teams and to the community and its neighbours for their patience and understanding and remains committed to the safety of its community and the Cayman Islands.
The contact details of Sol’s Special Support Team number are:
SOL PETROLEUM CAYMAN LTD
512 South Church Street
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
1 (345) 949-8373 phone
1 (345) 949-7224 fax

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Sol Cayman reaffirms its commitment to safety

SOL PETROLEUM CAYMAN LIMITED (Sol) wants to thank the brave men and women of the Cayman Islands Emergency Response and the Sol teams for their prompt reaction time and skilful management of the incident that took place at Jackson Point Terminal, on 23 July, 2017.

“We appreciate the dedication of these first responders who went above and beyond to ensure all residents and staff were safe.” Said Alan Neesome, General Manager of Sol. “We see ourselves as an integral member of the South Church Street and the wider Cayman community, where we have grown together over the past fifty-seven (57) years.

“Sol’s dedication and focus on safety is the foundation of every aspect of its operations. We are proud to be a leader and role model in pioneering safe working practices and standards in the industry. Our company has operated flawlessly for decades in the community, sharing in the development of the Island and the challenges, even in tough times such as in the recovery after Hurricane Ivan, we delivered uninterrupted fuel supply and provided humanitarian relief to the Island.”, stated Mr. Neesome.

Noting that while the Sol team was grateful to have no lost time incidents for over 20 years, the General Manager explained that the company was well equipped to handle an emergency, and is continuously updating its safety policies and practices in compliance with international standards. Sol is annually audited to international industry standards and is known for maintaining robust safety policies throughout the 22 territories it operates within.

Neesome explained that the company’s “Goal Zero Initiative”, an internal safety programme which strives towards zero accidents every year, was created to increase safety awareness and reinforce the safety culture throughout the entire organisation. Sol promotes a culture where Sol employees and contractors share our safety commitment through ongoing Industry training and continuous learning, daily safety meetings and implementation of safety standards on a daily basis. He further added that the company’s commitment to safety training was instrumental in reducing the severity of the incident at Jackson Point.

“We realise that this incident has caused anxiety within our community and our immediate neighbours. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and remain committed to the safety of our community, employees and contractors. We reiterate our gratitude to the Emergency Response Teams, the community and our neighbours for their patience and understanding.

Sol is committed to continue to be a valuable corporate citizen, contributing to the development of Grand Cayman and giving back to the community.”, Neesome expressed.

For any questions, concerns or further information regarding the situation, please access www.solpetroleum.com/jacksonpoint. Sol will publish updates as the information becomes available.

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Jackson Point Terminal Incident Update

SOL PETROLEUM CAYMAN LIMITED (Sol) would like to update the public in regard to its previous confirmation of a fire that occurred on an upper internal support ring, on a diesel tank at the Jackson Point Terminal. The incident was reported at approximately 4.45 pm on 23 July 2017 and was effectively contained by the Emergency Response Teams with the “all clear” issued at 2.45 AM on July 24, 2017. The fire had no direct contact with the product in the tank which was at a much lower level. Sol and the Royal Cayman Islands Fire Service responded promptly to confine the incident which prevented its further escalation.
There was no damage to the Terminal and surrounding areas. The area was evacuated as a precautionary measure and the access to South Church Street was closed, both in line with the emergency response plan and with the collaboration of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Sol’s focus and commitment is to the safety of its employees, contractors and the community, as such, the terminal resumed normal delivery operations on Monday morning, only after safety checks and inspections were completed.
“We realize that this incident has caused anxiety within our community and our immediate neighbours. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused related to this incident and remain committed to the safety of our community, employees and contractors. We want to reassure the Cayman community that there is no disruption to fuel supplies, and deliveries are being made to our customers as normal”, said Alan Neesome, General Manager.
Sol has completed the initial stage of the investigation, which is not conclusive because this process requires an internal physical inspection of the tank which must be fully emptied and ventilated before it can be safely entered; such processes may take several weeks to schedule and execute. The tank is in a safe condition and effectively quarantined. Sol will continue to work closely with the Government Inspectors and agencies industry professionals to determine the root cause of the incident and will share the investigation findings as they become available.
The company has been part of the Grand Cayman and South Church Street community since 1960 when the terminal was first constructed. Since then, Sol has not experienced a Lost Time Incident since February 1994, which means no Sol employee or contractor has missed a minute of work due to a workplace incident since 1994. To achieve this record Sol maintains a robust Health, Safety and Environment policy with an established “Goal Zero” program, meaning zero incidents and no harm to people. Sol promotes a culture in which all Sol employees and contractors share this commitment through on-going industry training and continuous learning. This commitment is proven as our track record in safety is without a major incident of this nature.
Sol sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused by this incident and commits to reviewing its safety work procedures with employees and contractors to ensure that an incident such as this does not recur.
For any questions, concerns or further information regarding the situation, please access www.solpetroleum.com/jacksonpoint. Sol will publish updates as the information becomes available.

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The Sol Group of companies operates in 22 countries across the Eastern Caribbean, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Bahamas, Cayman, Belize, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe. Sol supplies fuels, lubricants, bitumen and LPG through an extensive service station network, with marine, aviation and commercial operations in the Caribbean. For more information, visit www.solpetroleum.com

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Jackson Point Terminal lncident Concluded

SOL PETROLEUM CAYMAN LIMITED (Sol) confirms that an incident at Jackson Point Terminal that was reported at approximately 4.45 pm on 23 July 2017 was effectively contained by the Emergency Response Teams. Fire service thermal imaging equipment indicated an upper internal support ring on a diesel tank appeared to be on fire, but it had no direct contact with the product in the tank which was at a much lower level. The incident was fully contained and resolved by the Fire service, and the “all clear” was issued by Emergency Services at 2.45.

All personnel have been accounted for and there were no reported injuries. There was no damage to the Terminal and surrounding area as the incident was isolated to the single tank. Emergency procedures were effectively executed and the terminal is back in normal operations. South Church Street was re-opened around 4.00 am and residents who voluntarily evacuated regained access. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. This incident will not affect deliveries of product to any of our customers.

The management of Sol regrets any inconvenience to the community neighbours related to this incident. We take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the teams from the Cayman Islands Emergency Services, Hazard Management Cayman Islands, Caribbean Utilities Company and the owners of Sunset House for accommodating the Command Centre. We also wish to thank the Sol team and its contractors for their collaboration towards a prompt and effective resolution to this incident. Sol reiterates its focus and commitment to the safety of its employees, contractors and the community.

If you have any questions, concerns or would like more information about this incident, please complete the below form and you will be contacted by one of our team members.

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