The Associated Press Alyeska Pipeline Service spill response
personnel dressed in environmental protection suits work to remove
a giant hydraulic clamp used to stop the flow of oil from a
bullet-hole in the Trans-Alaska pipeline.
By Maureen Clark
The Associated Press
FAIRBANKS, Alaska “”mdash; Crude oil resumed flowing through the
trans-Alaska pipeline Sunday after workers welded a bullet hole in
the line that caused 285,600 gallons of oil to spew onto the
tundra.
Permanent repairs on the line 75 miles north of Fairbanks were
completed late Saturday and North Slope oil began flowing before
dawn. The pipeline was at full capacity by about 7 a.m., Alyeska
Pipeline Service Co. spokesman Mike Heatwole said.
The pipeline, which carries about 17 percent of the
nation’s oil production or about one million barrels a day,
had to be shut down after the line was pierced by a bullet
Thursday.
Crews are now focusing on the cleanup of about two to three
acres contaminated by the spill.
“˜”˜It’s actually a pretty small containment
area for such a large amount of oil spilled,” said
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Michelle
Brown.
Added Bill Howitt, an Alyeska vice president: “˜”˜Our
plan is to remove gross contamination before freeze-up, and we
anticipate it will take literally years to get the area free of
contamination.”
By Sunday morning, Alyeska had collected 88,541 gallons of
spilled crude.
About 200 cleanup workers, engineers and environmental
regulators were at the site.
In the shooting, Daniel Carson Lewis, 37, is charged with felony
assault, weapons misconduct, criminal mischief and driving while
intoxicated.
Lewis, who has a history of minor criminal convictions, is
charged with firing at the pipeline multiple times with a
.338-caliber rifle. Troopers found four bullet strikes in the
pipeline near the puncture.
Lewis fled on an all-terrain vehicle after the oil began
spewing, authorities said. His brother remained at the scene and
told pipeline security officers what had happened.
Indentations from bullets have been found in the line over the
years. Pipeline officials said people have shot at the pipeline
more than 50 times but never caused enough damage to produce a
spill.
Alyeska spokesman Tim Woolston said pipeline security increased
after the East Coast terrorism attacks Sept. 11, but he had no
comment regarding security changes since Thursday’s
shooting.