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Jurong Island

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Jurong Island is a very important place located southwest of Singapore's main island.

Singapore - Jurong Islands 1945
Singapore - Jurong Islands 1945

It is not a natural island like most others. Instead, it was made by joining several smaller islands together. This was done through land reclamation, which means adding land to the sea. The project was finished in 2009, which was twenty years earlier than planned. Today, the island covers a total area of over 30 square kilometers. It serves as the main hub for energy and chemicals in Singapore.

Many big companies use the island to turn oil into useful things. Even though Singapore does not have its own crude oil, the island processes over 1.5 million barrels of it every day. They use refineries to make petrol, kerosene, and jet fuel. They also use cracker plants to break down substances like naphtha. These plants make special materials for printer inks, plastic mouldings, and even aircraft materials. Some companies even make parts for LCD TV panels and diapers.

Jurong Industrial Estate and Jurong Island, panorama, Nov 06
Jurong Industrial Estate and Jurong Island, panorama, Nov 06

Long ago, the area looked very different from the busy island it is today. In 1848, a surveyor named John Turnbull Thomson saw many Malay and Chinese villages there. Some of the nearby islands had small fishing villages with wooden houses on stilts. In the late 1960s, big oil companies began planning facilities on these islands. By the 1980s, Singapore needed more industrial land on its main island. To solve this, leaders decided to join the southern islands into one huge island. JTC Corporation was put in charge of this big project in 1991.

There are many interesting details about how the island works. A network of pipelines connects all the different companies together. You might see red pipes that carry water for firefighting. Green pipes carry sea water to help keep machines cool. Large silver pipes carry steam, while smaller silver ones carry products. The island also has the Pulau Seraya Power Station. This was Singapore's very first offshore power station.

Jurong Industrial Estate and Jurong Island, panorama, Nov 06
Jurong Industrial Estate and Jurong Island, panorama, Nov 06

Because the island is so important for the country, it is a protected place. Since 2001, only people with special security passes are allowed to enter. The Singapore Armed Forces and the Police Coast Guard help keep the area safe. You cannot take photos or videos on the island without permission. There is even a special place called the Jurong Rock Caverns under the seabed. These huge underground rooms store oil and gas. They were officially opened in 2014 to help hold more supplies.

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File:Singapore - Jurong Islands 1945.jpg
Singapore - Jurong Islands 1945.jpg
File:Jurong Industrial Estate and Jurong Island, panorama, Nov 06.jpg
Jurong Industrial Estate and Jurong...
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