'Isolated' oil reported at Exxon spill

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BILLINGS, Mont., July 8 (UPI) -- Exxon Mobil said it discovered two "isolated spots of oil" more than 20 miles from the site of a spill on the Yellowstone River.

A leak was reported on the Silvertip oil pipeline near Billings, Mont., last week. Around 1,000 barrels of oil spilled into the Yellowstone River.

Exxon in a statement said it hadn't discovered much oil in waters beyond the immediate site.

"Two isolated spots of oil have been located beyond 20 miles of the release point; however, we have not discovered any oil between 20 and 40 miles from the site of the release," the company said. "One spot was located approximately 40 miles from the site of the release and the second spot was found approximately 80 miles away."

Federal pipeline regulators issued a corrective action order for the 12-inch Silvertip pipeline. Under the order Exxon is required to rebury the pipeline and submit a restart plan to the U.S. government before the resuming services to the pipeline.

The Environmental Protection Agency this week said there were no reports of harmful air pollutants associated with the spill.