FUEL SUPPLIES AT SEA INTERRUPTED

This belongs on UA, AS, US, NW, CO and others, but I've got time only to post it here.

Yesterday a fire broke out on a test line of the Olympic Pipeline Co. which transports fuel for gas stations AND SEATAC airport from the refineries up at Ferndale and Anacortes.

This afternoon, the Port of Seattle announced that they would run out of fuel sometime early this week, and asked all airlines serving SEA to NOT refuel here. The implications for trans-Pacific flights are awaited. I am not sure if PDX is also supplied by the Olympic line, which has been shut down for 'safety inspections.' The Seattle Times article suggests that the line will remain shut down for an indefinite period. Alternative supply routes include barges, but I am not aware of any terminal which would supply SEATAC.

For the moment, I presume that many domestic flights can be adjusted, but do monitor the situation if you have flights out of SEA in the coming week.

Flyer 420
in Seattle (and maybe staying here!)

They are asking short- and medium-range domestic flights to bring in enough fuel to get out again. That way they can save available stocks for transcons and overseas flights.

Even so, they're expected to have troubles by Wednesday unless the pipeline is reopened... and there's no timetable for that. Incredibly, there is no way to truck fuel into Sea-Tac, according to the authorities in the local press today.

The pipeline was shut down for a much longer period a few years ago after another (much larger) explosion (in Bellingham). They used trucks during that closure and there was no airport shutdown.

It's possible they aren't keeping as much fuel on hand as they used to.

Either way...this could develop into a very interesting story with huge ramifcations for the puget sound area (especially tourism) if they have to curb flights later this week due to lack of fuel.

This morning's news reports in Seattle indicate the "probability" that Olympic Pipe Line Co. will resume pumping sometime late today or early tomorrow. The fire on Sunday was limited to a small 'test' line in Renton WA. So... It appears that airlines using SEA will have refueling capability by tomorrow morning, whereas the Port of Seattle had stated that they could get by until tomorrow afternoon.

Was it overplayed in the news media? It was definitely hyped on the 11pm programs, but a representative of AS did hold out the likelihood of some cancellations.

So, "probably" things will be back to normal in time.

As for the alternative of trucking, which apparently was done when the line was disrupted a few years ago, I had assumed that that was the backup plan, but this morning's Seattle Times states that that would not be possible now.

Anyhow, I'd suggest monitoring the situation for the next 48 hours, but with the expectation that the crisis will go away. (Meanwhile local gas stations bump up the price 'because of the pipeline fire."

Flyer 420
now in Seattle

Couldn't they truck fuel from BFI?

aloha

Given this morning's Seattle Times article, I stand corrected regarding how they got fuel to the airport and also how close the airport came to shutting down 5 years ago:

However, as Flyer420 says, the radio this morning said that the pipline would reopen later today.

Have they re-opened it yet?

Seattle Times article