Oil spill hits famed US river
Baku, July 4 (AZERTAC). Teams of federal and state workers have fanned out along Montana`s famed Yellowstone River to gauge the environmental damage from a ruptured Exxon Mobil pipeline that spewed tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil into the waterway. The break near Billings, in south-central Montana, fouled the riverbank and forced municipalities and irrigation districts to close intakes.
There were reports of oil as far as 160km downstream near the town of Hysham. But an Exxon Mobil Corp. executive said shoreline damage appeared to be limited to the Yellowstone between Laurel and Billings, which includes about 32km of river.
Exxon Mobil Pipeline Co. President Gary Pruessing said company observers flying over the river had seen "very little soiling" beyond Billings. He said the oil appeared to be evaporating and dissipating into the river as the flooded Yellowstone carries it downstream.
A representative of the Montana Disaster and Emergency Services Division said the company`s claim was reasonable but had not been independently verified.
State officials on Saturday (local time) had reported a 40km-mile long slick headed downstream toward the Yellowstone`s confluence with the Missouri River, just across the Montana border in North Dakota. An estimated 1000 barrels, or 42,000 gallons, spilled on Saturday before the flow from the damaged pipeline was stopped.
"My guess is that as fast as that water is moving, it`s probably dissipating pretty quick," said DES public assistance officer Tim Thennis.
Exxon Mobil also revealed Sunday that the 30cm pipeline had been temporarily shut down in May because of concerns over the rising waters on the Yellowstone. Pruessing said the company decided to restart the line a day later after examining its safety record and deciding the risk of failure was low.
The company and government officials have speculated that high waters in recent weeks may have scoured the river bottom and exposed the pipeline to debris that could have damaged the pipe. The state has received record rainfall in the last month and also has a huge snowpack in the mountains that is melting, which has resulted in widespread flooding.
"We are very curious about what may have happened at the bottom of the river. We don`t have that yet," Pruessing said.
An Environmental Protection Agency representative said only a small fraction of the spilled oil is likely to be recovered.
Other news in this section
