Alyeska investigating oil at buried valve

Petroleum News

Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. engineering and field personnel are assessing crude oil found Aug. 19 in an excavated area at the vertical bypass riser of Remote Gate Valve 35A, a buried mainline valve at pipeline milepost 194, between Atigun Pass and Pump Station 5, the company told Petroleum News in an Aug. 22 email.

Crews were inspecting the vertical bypass riser when the oil was discovered; approximately 10 gallons of crude oil was recovered with equipment on hand.

Plans are being developed to safely excavate the valve and the determine the cause of crude oil in the excavated area, Alyeska said.

Additional oil spill response equipment is on hand to support the operation.

The company also said it is not known whether the crude oil is related to a historic spill.

Remote Gate Valve 35A is buried 8 feet belowground, Alyeska said. On Aug. 22 engineers and response personnel were nearing completion of a plan to further excavate to the top of the mainline pipe.

The company said crews will have access to the entire valve and top of pipe once it is exposed.

- Petroleum News