News Bulletin 1354
Pipeline
Operational
ANCHORAGE, AK – October 7, 2001 11:00
A.M. – The Trans-Alaska pipeline was restarted at 3:24 a.m. Sunday morning and was
fully operational at 7:35 a.m. following permanent repair of a puncture Saturday evening.
North Slope producers were released to full production at 7:00 a.m. Sunday. The Williams
and Petro Star Refineries in North Pole were returned to normal supply at 9:00 a.m.
Sunday. The pipeline shutdown did not impact loading operations at the Valdez Marine
Terminal.
The pipeline was shutdown Thursday afternoon when oil was discovered on the ground near
milepost 400. A suspect is in custody for allegedly shooting the pipeline and causing the
rupture.
A hydraulic clamp was initially placed on the rupture to stop the spill of oil. A TOR
(Thread O Ring) plug was welded onto the pipeline to permanently repair the damage. This
procedure has been used in different repair operations several times on the pipeline and
is proven technology.
An estimated total of 6,800 barrels or 285,600 gallons were spilled. 2,108 barrels or
88,541 gallons have been recovered as of early Sunday morning.
Environmental cleanup efforts continue on site. The Unified Command is now formulating
plans for long term environmental cleanup, restoration and monitoring. |