Plains let Line 901 run for 35 minutes after pipe ruptured in May
The corroded sections of Line 901 have been replaced.
Plains All American Pipeline allowed Line 901 to run for 35 minutes after the pipe ruptured the morning of May 19, 2015, according to a preliminary report published on Feb. 17.
Federal regulator Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration came out with a detailed timeline of the Refugio oil spill and more detail regarding Line 901’s condition and inspection. The report confirmed many of the previously reported details, including Plains staff waiting for more than three hours to report the spill to the proper authorities.
Results from Plains’ in-line inspection on May 6, just 13 days before the spill, revealed two critical parts of the pipeline that were up to 86 percent corroded. The report said that the May 6 inspection did not accurately convey the amount of external corrosion in the area of the release.
“I will continue to work to ensure we strengthen our federal pipeline safety standards to reduce the chances of a similar spill from happening again,” U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, said in a news release.
Read our website or the print edition on Feb. 19 for the full story.
• Contact Alex Kacik at akacik@pacbiztimes.com.
