ANCHORAGE, AK – October 5, 2001 12:00 P.M.

• Representatives of Alyeska Pipeline are escorting members of the media to the spill site this afternoon. FBU Senior Vice President, Bill Howitt, will provide an on-site briefing.
• 3500 Barrels spilled so far.
• 180 Barrels of oil have been recovered so far.
• North Slope producers have reduced production to 5 percent. Normal tanker loading operations will continue at the Valdez Marine Terminal using oil from the storage tanks at the terminal while the line is being repaired.
• Weather conditions in the affected area call for highs in the 50’s and rain beginning Friday evening, into Saturday.
• The Trans-Alaska Pipeline was shutdown at about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday after an Alyeska surveillance crew detected oil on the ground in the vicinity of MP 400, approximately 15 miles north of Pump Station 7.
• Alyeska’s Operations Control Center immediately began the process of shutting down the north end of the line, above the site of the incident. A suspect believed to be responsible for shooting the pipeline is in Alaska State Trooper custody.
• Alyeska immediately mobilized response crews, heavy machinery and a special land spill strike team to the scene to clean up the oil.
• Crews are preparing to repair the damaged section of the pipe in an effort to return it to normal operation.
• There have been no reported injuries to humans or wildlife as a result of the spill.
• Pressure inside the pipeline was approximately 525 pounds per square inch at the time of the incident, spraying oil out about 75 feet from the pipeline.