Teams gauge Exxon oil spill damage to Yellowstone river

Oil leak not sealed as quickly as Exxon claimed

Company offers another clarification of its response and assessment of Yellowstone River spill


LAUREL, Montana — Federal documents show it took Exxon Mobil nearly twice as long as it publicly disclosed to fully seal a pipeline that spilled roughly 1,000 barrels of crude oil into the Yellowstone River.

Details about the company's response to the Montana pipeline burst emerged late Tuesday as the Department of Transportation ordered the company bury the duct deeper beneath the riverbed, where it is buried 5 to 8 feet underground to deliver 40,000 barrels of oil a day to a refinery in Billings.

The federal agency's records indicate the pipeline was not fully shut down for 56 minutes after the break occurred Friday near Laurel. That's longer than the 30 minutes that company officials claimed Tuesday in a briefing with federal officials and Gov. Brian Schweitzer. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43650955/ns/us_news-environment/

Montana Assesses Oil Spill In Yellowstone River

Cleanup continues as Exxon Mobile tries to determine the scope of the oil spill in Montana's Yellowstone River. Rising waters due to snow melt could make it difficult for crews to get to some affected areas. Last week, a 12-inch pipeline carrying crude oil burst upstream of a refinery in Billings.

Listen to story: http://www.npr.org/2011/07/06/137642321/montana-assesses-oil-spill-in-yellowstone-river

Exxon Mobil not upfront on spill, Montana says

Governor tells MSNBC that during mock drill last year company vowed quick shutoff

LAUREL, Montana — Exxon Mobil came under fire on Wednesday from Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who said the oil giant had assured Montana that any spill on the Yellowstone River could be shut off in a few minutes. Instead it took at least 48 minutes for that to happen when a pipeline ruptured on July 1, releasing an estimated 42,000 gallons of oil into the longest undammed river in the U.S.

"We were told that there were automatic shut off valves and it's not possible that it could run even a couple of minutes into the river before it shut off," Schweitzer told MSNBC, recalling how the state ran through a mock oil spill drill on the river last year.

Once the spill happened, "Exxon Mobil said to begin with that it had only run for six minutes and that it was controlled out of Houston, Texas," he added. "That grew to 30 minutes and then it's unclear if they're now saying 48 or 58 minutes." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43650955/ns/us_news-environment/

Montana quits spill command post with Exxon

Governor cites lack of 'straight answers' and restricted access to center

BILLINGS, Mont. — Montana was setting up its own spill command post on Friday after its governor withdrew from a joint command team, saying citizens "can't get straight answers" from Exxon Mobil over the damage from a spill along the Yellowstone River.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Exxon had restricted reporters, and even some state environmental officials, from joint command sessions in violation of Montana's open-meetings law. He also said the company has been too slow in responding to citizen queries about the spill. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43686757/ns/us_news-environment/