BP Resolves Pipeline Crisis, Jet Fuel Flow Restored to Seattle-Tacoma Airport
In a significant development, oil giant BP has successfully located and contained the source of a leak in its critical Olympic Pipeline system. This swift action enabled the company to restart the supply of jet fuel to the bustling Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Tuesday, just in time to prevent major disruptions during the busy Thanksgiving travel period.
Discovery of the Leak and Emergency Response
The crisis began on November 11 when a farmer discovered a gas sheen in a drainage ditch on a blueberry farm located near Everett, north of Seattle. This discovery prompted a series of intermittent shutdowns, leading to BP completely halting the pipeline system on November 17.
The situation was deemed serious enough for Washington Governor Bob Ferguson to declare an emergency last week. The emergency order lifted restrictions on truck drivers' working hours, allowing them to transport fuel by road to Sea-Tac airport. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek followed with a similar order on Monday to mitigate the regional impact.
The breakthrough came late Monday after excavation efforts in an area where two pipelines run parallel. BP identified the leak in the gasoline pipeline, not the jet fuel line. This crucial find allowed the company to safely resume the flow of jet fuel to the airport while formulating a repair plan for the damaged gasoline pipe.
Environmental Impact and a History of Safety Issues
Officials and BP are still in the process of assessing the total volume of gasoline that leaked. The company has stated that responders have deployed recovery equipment to contain and clean up the spill, and so far, no gasoline has been observed outside the immediate response area.
This incident has cast a spotlight on the pipeline's safety record. In a separate announcement on Monday, Washington state regulators revealed they are fining BP $3.8 million for a separate 25,000-gallon (95,000-liter) spill in 2023 from the same pipeline system near Conway. The state's Ecology Department determined the cause was a corroded carbon-steel nut, which the company's inspections had failed to identify as a risk. The department is seeking over $4.6 million from BP, which includes the fine and response costs.
The 400-mile-long (644-kilometer-long) Olympic Pipeline, which transports gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel across the Pacific Northwest, has a troubled history. This includes a tragic 1999 explosion in Bellingham, Washington, that killed three people, leading to a major overhaul of federal pipeline regulations.
Travel Normalizes Amid Calls for Stricter Oversight
With the pipeline restarted, airport operations are returning to normal. Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell confirmed that it would take a couple of days to replenish the airport's fuel reserves, but early signs indicate that travel will not be significantly impacted.
However, Sen. Cantwell also emphasized the need for stronger pipeline safety oversight and advanced leak detection technology. In a letter to BP last week, she raised serious concerns about the fact that the company failed to detect the leak before the blueberry farmer reported it, questioning BP's inspection and maintenance protocols.
Airlines affected by the shutdown, including Delta and Alaska Airlines, which had added fuel stops to some flights, announced on Tuesday that they were resuming normal operations. They will continue to truck in some fuel as a backup until the airport's reserves are fully restored. Past shutdowns of this vital pipeline have previously caused gasoline prices to spike in Washington and Oregon, highlighting its critical role in the region's infrastructure.
