By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 17 -- BP PLC reported that the Clovelly-Alliance-Meraux (CAM) pipeline will be back in operation by Thursday. The pipeline leaked about 1,800 bbl of crude oil into Little Lake, near Clovelly, La., on Apr. 6.
As of Wednesday, 90% of the spilled oil had been recovered or had evaporated, a BP spokesman on the scene said. The US Coast Guard was continuing its investigation of the spill. BP believes the line was struck by a tugboat, the spokesman said.
"We are in the process of starting the line," he said Wednesday, adding that it would be in operation by sometime Thursday at the latest.
The US Coast Guard last week reported that scare cannons were used to help keep birds away from the oil, and that professional wildlife rehabilitators are on the scene to recover any affected birds. One rail died of oil contamination.
The pipeline delivers light crude from the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port to the Murphy Oil Co. Meraux, La., refinery and Phillips Petroleum Co.'s Alliance refinery near Belle Chasse, La. The damaged CAM pipeline has had little effect upon those refineries, because they receive additional supplies from other sources. BP operates the pipeline and owns 70%, while Murphy Oil owns 30%.