ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Heavy seas and strong winds caused the partial collapse of a large section of Alaska dock that supports offshore oil drilling, officials said.
The Offshore Systems Kenai dock in Nikiski was heavily damaged Tuesday, the Anchorage Daily News reported .
The dock supporting the Cook Inlet oil industry lost a section that the Coast Guard estimates to be 50 feet (15 meters) wide. About 300 gallons (1,136 liters) of diesel fuel spilled and dissipated into the inlet, Petty Officer 2nd Class Melissa McKenzie said.
The dock is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Kenai. Officials at the facility reported 70-knot winds and very high tides before the accident.
The dock is still eroding, but oil and hazardous materials have been removed, the Coast Guard said.
The facility can’t provide fuel to vessels that service offshore oil and gas platforms, said Lisa Krebs-Barsis, an Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation supervisor for spill prevention and response.
Both areas of the facility that provide fuel to vessels have been closed, and dock operator Nikiski Fuel will be responsible for the fuel spill. The facility will need approval from the environmental conservation department before fueling operations can resume, she said.
The facility is the “main servicing area for the platforms,” which need fuel, water and other supplies. Other docks can be used, but they are farther away, Krebs-Barsis said.
“I don’t know how deeply the impacts will be felt, but it will certainly have an impact,” she said.
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Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com
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