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Report raises questions about Alyeska's oil-spill prevention efforts(This story has been updated with comments from Michelle Egan, spokeswoman with Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.)
A report gauging whether Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. is regularly checking for leaks and performing other maintenance at the Valdez Marine Terminal found that the pipeline operator could not provide documentation of its efforts in several areas. A Prince William Sound industry watchdog commissioned the report, which began in 2009 by asking for data showing whether Alyeska is performing commitments laid out in its oil-spill prevention and contingency plan for the terminal at the end of the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline. The report, prepared by Eagle River-based Harvey Consulting, found the company did not provide records showing it had completed seven of 13 oil-spill prevention commitments, according to a press release issued on Monday by the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council. "While the Harvey report doesn't prove that critical prevention measures are not in place at the oil terminal, the fact that the exact status and effectiveness of those measures could not be determined is of considerable concern to us," said Mark Swanson, executive director of the citizens' council. "We hope that Alyeska makes it a high priority to ensure these prevention measures are in place and effective, and to improve its record-keeping system so that their status can readily be determined." Just because Alyeska could not provide all the information within the council's timeline does not indicate a problem with maintenance at the terminal, said Michelle Egan, spokeswoman for Alyeska. Alyeska provided some information after a deadline established by the consultant. That data didn't make it into the report, she said. Other information not provided is currently being assembled and will be included in a new contingency plan -- the last one was approved in 2008 -- that will be submitted to regulators this year, Egan said. "This is a paperwork issue, not a compliance issue," she said. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. is owned by five oil companies, including majority owners BP, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil. It spends tens of millions of dollars annually to maintain the cross-state pipeline and the marine terminal in Valdez where oil tankers load up. The terminal includes 18 oil storage tanks and four loading berths. Among the missing information, according to the report:
Areas where Alyeska provided only partial information included:
In a letter to Alyeska and in its report, the council made 21 recommendations. Chief among them: Alyeska should develop a documented verification process showing how it meets prevention and contingency-plan measures. More information can be found on the council's website. The letter was sent to Alyeska on Jan. 23, said Stan Jones, spokesman with the council. The council hopes Alyeska soon provides it with the missing information to show that work is being done as required by the contingency and prevention plan, which is filed with the state. "We hope they'll verify that the seven things are really OK and come up with a tracking system that makes it easy to determine whether these things are done or not," Jones said. Egan said she's certain Alyeska will respond to the letter, providing additional information. Contact Alex DeMarban at alex(at)alaskadispatch.com Everyone knows those serious hazards, like that Ice In Prince William Sound, just like that Oil Tanker in Nome last week with no drunken sailor, as required by the American Shipping Standards? I Vote Drunk! Did Governor Egan, have as much trouble in Valdez as Michelle Egan's employer did on Good Friday 1964, and 1989? The vessel left the port of Valdez at night. In March, it is still dark at night in Valdez, the white nights of the summer solstice being three months away. There is an established sea lane that takes vessels well to the west of Bligh Reef, but Captain Hazelwood prudently took the vessel east of the ship- ping lanes to avoid a heavy concentration of ice in the shipping lane, which is a serious hazard. Plaintiffs have not claimed that Captain Hazelwood violated any law or regula- tion by traveling outside the sea lane. The problem with being outside the sea lane was that the ship's course was directly toward Bligh Reef. |
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