A major fuel pipeline supplying jet fuel to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport experienced a problem on Sunday, prompting airlines to conserve fuel and potentially ferry extra fuel into Seattle. The issue is being investigated by BP, which owns part of the Olympic Pipeline, but a partial restart has been implemented, easing fears of a shortage.
According to law enforcement sources, a "crack" in the pipeline near Everett, Washington, caused significant delays in fuel deliveries to the airport. However, after a large amount of fuel was delivered via the pipeline on Sunday, fears of a shortage have subsided. BP and airport officials say they are comfortable that contingency plans will not be needed, with sufficient fuel available for operations.
Excavation is required to identify the problem behind the release, but it's unclear whether it's a crack or a smaller issue like a pinhole. A law enforcement briefing indicates that SeaTac's fuel reserves would have been low by Monday if the pipeline hadn't been restarted. The 400-mile Olympic Pipeline transports refined fuel products across Washington and Oregon.
To keep fuel flowing, drivers from neighboring states are being called in to assist, and the Washington State Patrol is waiving driver-hour restrictions to expedite deliveries. SeaTac officials maintain that they have sufficient reserves and do not anticipate any major impacts on Monday, with airlines prepared to implement contingency plans if needed.
According to law enforcement sources, a "crack" in the pipeline near Everett, Washington, caused significant delays in fuel deliveries to the airport. However, after a large amount of fuel was delivered via the pipeline on Sunday, fears of a shortage have subsided. BP and airport officials say they are comfortable that contingency plans will not be needed, with sufficient fuel available for operations.
Excavation is required to identify the problem behind the release, but it's unclear whether it's a crack or a smaller issue like a pinhole. A law enforcement briefing indicates that SeaTac's fuel reserves would have been low by Monday if the pipeline hadn't been restarted. The 400-mile Olympic Pipeline transports refined fuel products across Washington and Oregon.
To keep fuel flowing, drivers from neighboring states are being called in to assist, and the Washington State Patrol is waiving driver-hour restrictions to expedite deliveries. SeaTac officials maintain that they have sufficient reserves and do not anticipate any major impacts on Monday, with airlines prepared to implement contingency plans if needed.
Just had my morning coffee and I'm worried about flight delays at Seattle-Tacoma airport 
️... heard it was a big problem over the weekend 
. So glad BP is looking into it ASAP 
, but what if they find out it's something more serious? 
And all those drivers from neighboring states being called in to help? That's some dedication 
! I'm sure airlines are on high alert and ready for anything 
... fingers crossed everything gets sorted out by Monday 
. Can we talk about the logistics of this situation, though? How hard is it to get fuel delivered when there's a problem like this? 
sounds fishy to me... need more info about this crack thingie and what kinda inspection are they doing on the pipe to figure out what's going on. why not be transparent with us about what's really happening behind the scenes? 
I mean, it's not like they're panicking or anything, which would be a total disaster for the airlines and passengers. Anyway, I'm just glad no one got hurt in the process... 
this whole situation didn't spiral out of control! I was worried sick when I heard about the pipeline issue 
but it sounds like BP is on top of things and they're taking steps to prevent any major disruptions. The thought of flights getting grounded because of a fuel shortage would've been catastrophic 
. But seriously, it was good to hear that the airline people and BP folks were able to get things sorted out pretty quickly. And wow, 400 miles is a long way for fuel to travel - I hope those drivers from neighboring states can help out 
. I mean, a "crack" in the pipeline near Everett? That sounds like a convenient excuse to me. And what's really interesting is that they're not being transparent about what caused the problem. They're just saying it was a crack and leaving it at that 
. I'm thinking maybe it was something more sinister, like sabotage or tampering with the pipeline 
. But what about the drivers from neighboring states being called in to assist? That sounds like a cover-up to me 
.
A fuel pipeline issue at Seattle airport and now the whole thing is like a domino effect? 
. A crack in a pipeline? That sounds like some old-school Bond villain nonsense 
. And don't even get me started on the fact that it's BP involved... *shudders*. All I can say is, let's hope they find out what's going on and fix it ASAP before things get really messy 
. glad BP is on top of it tho, partial restart and all that jazz. and I'm surprised they're not having some major panic, considering how long this pipeline has been around. but hey, at least they've got a plan B... or should I say, C? 
and dont even get me started on the environmental impact of all that digging... hopefully they can find out what's going on behind the crack (literally) ASAP. i'm just glad no one got hurt or anything happened before they could shut it down 
. What's next, are they gonna have to send in the National Guard to keep the fuel flowing? 
Like, calm down everyone, it's just a pipeline issue 
And what's with all these contingency plans? Can't we just, I don't know, get some spare parts or something and fix it already? 
. On a serious note, I hope they catch whatever caused this leak ASAP so we don't have any more close calls. I mean, think about all those planes taking off every hour... it's stressful enough dealing with TSA security lines already! 
anyway, so yeah hopefully everything goes back to normal soon!
. anyway, lets keep an eye on this tho 'cause i dont wanna be stuck in traffic or flight delays Monday 