Repair clamp installed on Pt Thomson line

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Spill Prevention and Response said in its Feb. 2 final situation report on the Point Thomson Export Pipeline leak that installation of the repair clamp was completed Jan. 28, establishing source control.

Harvest Alaska LLC, which operates the line, received a leak detection alarm Jan. 13 at 10:19 p.m. and isolated the line, with visual confirmation of the leak observed via aircraft Jan. 14 at 11:54 a.m.

DEC said that following the leak alarm the line was shut in and depressurized, stopping any remaining condensate from leaving the pipeline.

The condensate release was some 35 miles east of Prudhoe Bay and about 1 mile southeast of the Badami Pad, DEC said.

In December, the last full month the line was in operation, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission data show Point Thomson was averaging 3,754 barrels per day.

DEC said Harvest Alaska calculated that the maximum release from the line was 275 barrels.

Recovered contaminated snow is being staged in Deadhorse and will be melted and then the natural gas condensate separated out and measured.

DEC said monitoring and cleanup efforts continue at the spill site with plans for remediation of residual product being evaluated.

--KRISTEN NELSON