MOSCOW, July 24 (UPI) -- Four tons of crude oil has spilled from an Exxon pipeline into Russia's Sakhalin, ITAR-TASS reported Monday.
The pipeline was owned by Exxon Neftegaz and ran through the north of Sakhalin.
The spill occurred Saturday, but the media was not informed of the event until Monday. As soon as the spill was detected, Exxon Neftegaz officials say, the pipeline was turned off and the site of the spill localized.
The clean-up operation includes 12 experts from Ekoshelf, a front-mounted loader, two tank trucks with vacuum pumps and an excavator, a spokesman for the regional department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry told ITAR-TASS.
According to reports, the clean-up is progressing smoothly, with some 90 percent of the spilled oil collected. The operation is scheduled to be completed Monday, and the region's water sources remain free from incident-related pollutants.
The 4 tons of oil involved in the spill originated at the Yastreb off-shore rig at the Chayvo field.
