Volcano activity suspends oil production

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 6 (UPI) -- A spokeswoman for Chevron said the energy corporation has suspended all oil production in Alaska's Cook Inlet in light of volcanic activity at Mount Redoubt.

Chevron spokeswoman Roxanne Sinz confirmed eruptions at the volcano had threatened the company's Drift River Terminal Facility near the Alaskan watershed, prompting the cessation of all oil production, the Anchorage Daily News reported Sunday.

"It means that we can't produce oil because we have nowhere to ship it to," Sinz said of the Drift River facility where Chevron stores its oil.

The emergency precaution came about after a Redoubt eruption forced oil workers at the facility to seek shelter Saturday while transferring oil from the terminal to an awaiting tanker.

The terminal's air strip has also become covered with water from the melting Drift Glacier, the Daily News said.

The Drift River facility will remain closed indefinitely as Chevron workers attempt to remove the millions of gallons of oil stored at the Alaskan site.