LAUREL, Mont. - The federal records show it took nearly twice as long as Exxon Mobil publicly disclosed fully seal a pipeline that spilled about 1,000 barrels of crude oil in the Yellowstone River.
Details of the company's response to the bursting of the pipe Montana emerged Tuesday that the Department of Transportation ordered the company to bury the sheath deep under the bed, where she is buried 5-8 feet under to deliver 40 000 barrels of oil per day to a refinery in Billings.
Records show the federal pipeline has not been completely closed for 56 minutes after the break occurred Friday near Laurel. It is longer than the 30 minutes that those responsible for company said Tuesday in a briefing with federal officials and Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
A spokesman for Exxon Mobil said the longer time span was based on information provided to the agency by the company and the difference could have occurred because Exxon Mobil Pipeline Co. President Gary Pruessing spoke without notes before him when he addressed Schweitzer.
"Clearly our communication with the controller (DOT) is that we got a clarification on the" spokesman Alan Jeffers said.
It was not the first time the company has offered clarification of its response and evaluation of the tide. A day earlier, the company admitted under political pressure that the impact of the leak could extend well beyond a 10 mile stretch of the river originally said was the most affected region. The company had earlier played down the claims of government officials "that the damage was spread over dozens of miles.
The Governor visited the region Tuesday, while the waterway has exceeded flood stage and fanned fears that the surge in crude could push in areas untouched and return channels vital for the popular fishing river. The conditions have hampered efforts to find the cause of the rupture.
The river was flowing too fast for the crews to reach areas oiled and forecasters mountain snowmelt has been declared by adding high water levels. Officials have speculated that the surge of oil could be grown in zones that have not been damaged.
Most observations were made by air travel.
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