The operator of the Trans-Alaska pipeline is reporting an oil spill at the Marine Terminal in Valdez.
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company estimated the volume of crude oil spilled to be less than 100 gallons.
Crews reported seeing a sheen on the water late Thursday morning. The spill is not ongoing.
According to Alyeska, the spill happened during yearly maintenance testing of the loading arms at Berth 5.
“During a pause in the testing, oily test water flowed back through hose and piping related to the maintenance, out of the fire system salt water intake piping, and into Port Valdez,” Michelle Egan, a spokeswoman for Alyeska, said in an email.
The spill area has been boomed and teams are skimming the water to try to recover the oil.
Alyeska reports there have been no impacts to wildlife or injuries associated with the incident.
A spokeswoman with the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council said her group is monitoring the response to the spill, along with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Coast Guard.
On Friday, the Department of Environmental Conservation said it was conducting an overflight to assess the situation.
Elizabeth Harball is a reporter with Alaska's Energy Desk, covering Alaska’s oil and gas industry and environmental policy. She is a contributor to the Energy Desk’s Midnight Oil podcast series. Before moving to Alaska in 2016, Harball worked at E&E News in Washington, D.C., where she covered federal and state climate change policy. Originally from Kalispell, Montana, Harball is a graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
