07-11-20

GEOGRAPHY

INDUSTRIES- Pitch in Trinidad and Tobago

The Pitch Lake is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world, estimated to contain 10
million tons. It is located in La Brea in southwest Trinidad, within the Siparia Regional
Corporation. The lake covers about 100 acres (0,405 square kilometres) and is reported to be
250 (76,2 metres) feet deep. Pitch Lake is a popular tourist attraction, that includes a small
museum, from where official tour guides can escort people across the lake. The lake is mined for
asphalt by Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago.

GEOLOGY

1.The origin of The Pitch Lake is related to deep faults in connection with subduction under the
Caribbean Plate related to Barbados Arc. The lake has not been studied extensively, but it is
believed that the lake is at the intersection of two faults, which allows oil from a deep deposit to
be forced up. The lighter elements in the oil evaporate under the hot tropical sun, leaving behind
the heavier asphalt. Bacterial action on the asphalt at low pressures creates petroleum in
asphalt. The researchers indicated that extremophiles inhabited the asphalt lake in populations
ranging between 106 to 107 cells/gram. The Pitch Lake is one of several natural asphalt lakes in
the world.

2.Pitch Lake is believed to have formed thousands of years ago when the Caribbean tectonic
plate slipped under another. This subduction created pressure between the two plates that
pushed oil from deep underground deposits up into a pool.

These deposits concentrate over time and create asphalt (also called bitumen or pitch) that can
be used in road construction. On Pitch Lake, a large amount is concentrated at the lake’s
surface, which covers about 100 square acres. Beneath, the lake’s oil reaches 250 feet in depth.

The asphalt is an emulsion of water, gas, bitumen and mineral matter, the latter consisting
largely of fine silica sand and a lesser amount of impalpably fine clay. In some parts of the Lake
there is a small influx of soft material. This is accompanied by a stronger evolution of gas
consisting principally of methane with a considerable proportion of carbon dioxide, and which
also contains hydrogen sulphide. This influx gradually hardens and becomes like the main
deposit of the asphalt. As this occurs fresh material breaks out elsewhere.

Although quiescent the asphalt still moves with a natural slow "stirring" action. Not only can the
flow lines be seen on the surface of the asphalt, but prehistoric trees and other objects have
been known in the past to have appeared, disappeared and reappeared.
In appearance the surface of the Lake is a uniform expanse of asphalt which is intersected by
areas of water, the extent of which naturally varies according to the season.

The La Brea Pitch Lake is the largest and most significant pitch lake in the world. The natural
phenomenon of Pitch Lakes is an important aspect of earth's history as it relates to the
formation of crude oil and natural gas.

INDUSTRIAL

Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago (1978) Limited (Lake Asphalt) is a wholly owned state
enterprise situated in Brighton, La Brea, Trinidad charged with the commercial development of
the Pitch Lake of Trinidad and Tobago, the world’s largest deposit of natural asphalt.

The company has been involved in the mining, refining, manufacture and distribution of high
quality road building materials and other asphalt related products for over one hundred years
and is a global organization with distributors and alliances in five of the seven continents of the
world.

Lake Asphalt processes and exports Trinidad Lake Asphalt (TLA), which is mined from the Pitch
Lake in La Brea. TLA, the company’s flagship product is recognised around the world as the
superior modifier for refinery bitumen and has been used on every continent in the world over
the past century in a number of applications including the paving of some of the largest
roadways, highways, bridge decks, racetracks and airport runways across the globe.

PRIMARY-Trinidad Lake Asphalt (TLA) is the scientific name used to describe asphalt after it has
been refined, through an amazingly simple process of heating and sifting out of stones, and
other extraneous matter.

SECONDARY-Trinidad Lake Asphalt is packaged in 230kg fire-board drum and shipped

TERTIARY- Lake Asphalt has exported and distributed its refined TLA throughout the world over
the years via a series of distributors strategically located internationally.

DISTRIBUTED TO:1. Asphalt Associates Ltd-Territory: United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland,

2. Carl Ungewitter Trinidad Lake Asphalt GmbH & Co. K-Territory: Germany, Austria, Hungary,
Switzerland, Turkey

3. China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Co. Ltd -Territory: China

Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago (1978) Limited (Lake Asphalt) is totally committed to
establishing and promoting a working environment where the Health, safety and Welfare of all
employees (permanent and casual), contractors, customers, suppliers, visitors and those who
may be affected by our operations/ activities are of paramount importance and protection of the
environs.

In this regard, Lake Asphalt shall:

 Develop and implement systems (such as a HSE Management System) to ensure the
safety, health and welfare of all employees, contractors, customers, visitors and suppliers
and minimizing the impacts on the environment in keeping with applicable local and
international legislation and industry best practice.

 Ensure that the required resources and competencies are provided to facilitate the
development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, of the said systems.

 Ensure the development and implementation of the required policies and procedures
designed to promote safe working practices and environmental protection and such
documents will be monitored and reviewed continually for improvement.

 Facilitate the creation of an improved HSE culture throughout the establishment by

 Establish a Behaviour Based Safety Incentive Program to encourage employees’

 Comply with all applicable HSE related local and international legislation (such as the
Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2004 (as amended) (“the OSH Act”) and industry
best practice.

 Conduct suitable and sufficient Risk Assessments annually and more often if necessary
and ensure that the required measures are instituted to control/manage risks in
accordance with the OSH Act.

 Develop and implement a Health Surveillance Program, having regard to the risks to
employees’ health status as identified by the annual risk assessments.

 Ensure the reduction of accident, incidents, near misses and occupational

 Ensure that any case of reportable accidents and/ or occupational illness and
environmental release will be reported to the relevant agency (such as the OSH Agency,
the EMA, MOEEA) within the stipulated time frame.

 Develop and implement an Emergency Response Plan and conduct simulation exercises
and drills as stipulated in the plan to ensure safe, efficient, and effective response to
emergencies.

 Establish a Safety and Health Committee to keep under review the measures implemented
to ensure the safety and health of all personnel at work.
  Ensure that all applicable policies/procedures and company’s rules are communicated to
all employees to facilitate and ensure compliance as well as the disciplinary proceedings in
the event of non-compliance.

 Ensure that this Policy be reviewed and updated annually and more often in required (in
such case as legislative, technological or organizational change) and communicated to all
employees.

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