ANCHORAGE, AK -- APRIL 22, 1996, 9:00 a.m. -- A second excavation to find the leading edge of oil leaking in the vicinity of Milepost 594 has been completed and has found no trace of oil. The excavation was sited 200 feet North of Check Valve (CV) 92. An earlier excavation, completed yesterday, 290 feet North of CV 92 also found no oil. Excavation around CV 92 continues. Leakage into the vertical access culverts where oil was initially discovered on Saturday continues at approximately one gallon per hour. This oil is being removed periodically.

"We are pleased that the two initial excavations found no oil. This information indicates that the oil is likely to have affected only a small area in the immediate vicinity of CV 92," said John Dayton, Operations Sr. Vice President.

The pipeline continues to operate at the level established yesterday of 860,000 barrels per day.