Cook Inlet Pipeline Operations Expected to Resume in August
By: Joe Nicks 7/13/2009
Cook Inlet Pipe Line Company has announced that it expects to complete modifications at its Drift River Terminal and Trading Bay facilities this month to resume pipeline operations. CIPL says, subject to regulatory approvals, CIPL plans to resume pipeline operations in a safe and timely manner by mid-August. Completion of the modifications and resumption of pipeline operations will continue to be dependent on the status of volcanic eruption activity at Mt. Redoubt.
CIPL plans to transport oil stored at facilities at Granite Point and Trading Bay and ship it through CIPL’s 42-mile pipeline for direct delivery to tankers, which will be berthed at its Christy Lee platform located near its Drift River Terminal. CIPL says this modified procedure is designed to bypass the tanks at the Drift River Terminal, and crude oil storage operations at the terminal will remain suspended.
On April 28, 2009, Chevron Shipping arranged for the Mississippi Voyager vessel to load 4.4 million gallons of crude oil and water at the Christy Lee platform in the Cook Inlet. Since the eruption of Mt. Redoubt, CIPL has removed more than 85% of the crude oil previously stored at its Drift River Terminal. CIPL is also currently working to remove most of the remaining crude oil and water from its onshore crude oil storage tanks and expects these actions to be complete by mid-August.
