ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The Trans-Alaska Pipeline remained shut down Tuesday as repair crews moved closer to completing their inspection for damage caused by a major earthquake that jolted the region during the weekend.
Sunday's magnitude 7.9 quake continued to produce aftershocks Tuesday that measured nearly 5 on the Richter scale and shook the southern interior of the state where the main quake occurred on Sunday afternoon. As of late Tuesday, the United States Geological Survey had recorded around 20 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or higher.
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which was shut down as a precaution immediately after Sunday's temblor, remained idled on Tuesday as repair crews continued to look for leaks, reinforce the bedding of the 800-mile pipeline, and run pressure testing on sections of the line in preparation for a re-start sometime Wednesday.
"Alaska is fortunate that the Trans-Alaska Pipeline performed as it was designed, shifting on its supports, surviving this quake intact and without any leaks," Gov. Tony Knowles happily boasted Tuesday. "The system worked, but the pipeline remains shut down while temporary supports are placed under affected sections."
The Alyeska Pipeline Service Company reported Tuesday "75 percent of the project deemed critical to start-up have been completed."
"Since the earthquake, one tanker has been loaded out of Valdez," Alyeska said. "The oil inventory, already low at the time of the quake, has been depleted. There is no tanker loading taking place at this time; tanker loading can resume approximately 24 hours after the restarting of the pipeline."
Alaska is a primary supplier of crude oil for refineries along the West Coast, however the closure of the 1 million barrel per day pipeline did not appear to be a major concern to oil traders. The New York Mercantile Exchange's front-month crude contract fell 81 cents Tuesday to $26.14 per barrel, as inventory reports no shortage of crude in the United States.
Knowles said that damage assessment teams from the state had fanned out across Alaska to get a complete picture of how the quake had affected the vast, sparsely populated area. He said that federal assistance would be needed to help pay for permanent repairs in some areas.
"Most roads have been temporarily patched, but permanent repairs will cost millions," Knowles noted. "Perhaps hardest hit was Mentasta, where the school and several homes suffered major damage; basic utilities such as water, sewer, electricity, and telephone were knocked off line, and home heating oil tanks were toppled."
