Bullet causes oil spill in Alaska

The pipeline has been shot at a number of times

Crews in Alaska are battling for a second day to control a geyser of oil leaking out of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline after a man shot a bullet through it.

In the worst leak for more than 20 years, one million litres (280,000 gallons) of oil have sprayed under high pressure onto the surrounding scrub and pine forest.

Daniel Carson Lewis, the man suspected of shooting the pipeline with a rifle has been charged with criminal mischief, driving while drunk, weapons misconduct and assault.

Following the attacks last month on New York and Washington, security has been tightened along the pipeline, but police have said that the incident has no link to terrorism.

Pipeline shut

The pipeline, which carries more than 15% of America's domestic oil production, is over 1,300 km (800 miles) long and runs from Prudhoe Bay in the Arctic to the Prince William Sound port of Valdez in the south.

A helicopter spotted the leak close to the pipeline's midpoint, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Fairbanks.

The oil has covered two acres (0.8 hectares) of ground in an area of tundra and spruce, pipeline operator Alyeska Pipeline Service Company said.

The pipeline carries about 1 million barrels of oil a day, but the pipe has now been shut down to help control the leak.

Danger

The oil workers had hoped to use a crane to install a hydraulic clamp over the line to cover the hole, but flammable vapours in the area made the operation dangerous.

The oil is spraying over the surrounding forest

"There's concern about the safety of the workers there. It is a very delicate operation with large machinery in a volatile environment," said Tim Woolston, spokesman for Alyeska.

As part of the clean-up effort crews have dug ditches and deep holes to capture the oil, which was being transferred onto trucks.

"Our priority is that no oil migrates from the site to the Tolovana River a mile away," said Brad Hahn of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

Security problems

Mr Woolston said that the pipe has been shot at more than 50 times before, but until Friday, the the bullets have never pierced it.

It is protected by a layer of galvanised steel and nearly four inches of insulation.

"It's a monumental task to protect every inch of that pipeline 24 hours a day," Mr Woolston said.

But Alaska Governor Tony Knowles said that more must be done to protect the vital pipeline.

"Clearly the fact that one person with a rifle can do this much damage is a point of concern in terms of vulnerability," he said.