Washington's State Department of Ecology (SDE) has ordered two refineries to take measures to prevent oil spills from pipelines.
The orders went to Texaco Refining & Marketing Inc.'s 133,000 b/d Anacortes and U.S. Oil & Refining Co.'s 34,500 b/d Tacoma plant.
Each was involved in pipeline spills this year.
SDE pegged the Texaco spill at 5,262 bbl as a result of failure of a crude oil booster pump Feb. 22. The agency said U.S. Oil spilled 14,286 bbl when a 16 in. pipeline ruptured Jan. 6.
SDE ordered both companies to submit plans within 90 days showing how they will prevent spills from pipelines at their plants. The plans, which require SDE's approval, also will show what measures will be taken to prevent spills from reaching Puget Sound.
Texaco also is required to submit a report within 90 days on the feasibility of installing leak detection and automatic shutoff systems in pipelines running 21/2 miles from its dock to the refinery. The report is to include a survey of leak detection systems in use in other areas of the country.
SDE ordered Texaco to install pumps that have carbon steel or alloy steel casing when the company replaces any crude oil booster pumps.
U.S. Oil is required to submit installation plans and specifications for any leak detection system it is considering.
U.S. Oil conducted a comprehensive, effective cleanup, SDE said, but it found company was negligent by not protecting its buried pipeline. Only 1 ft of soil covered the line where the break occurred, and there were no warning signs over any portion of the 5,000 ft buried line.
U.S. Oil was not aware of its spill until the Tacoma fire department notified the company that oil was pooling on the ground.
The Texaco spill was discovered by an employee conducting a visual inspection of the pipeline.
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