
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, August 6, 1993                   TAG: 9308060130
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FAIRFAX                                LENGTH: Short

PIPELINE OWNER WILL DIG AT 111 POSSIBLE SPILL SITES

The owner of the pipeline which spilled more than 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel in Northern Virginia in March will dig up each of 111 potential problem areas it has found between Chantilly and Dorsey Junction, Md.

An electromagnetic machine called a "pig" was sent through the 45 miles of pipeline to locate potential problem spots. These were indicated by loss of metal from the pipe and dents, company officials said.

The March 28 spill in Reston fouled a stream and threatened the Potomac River water supply for much of the Washington, D.C., area.

Several locations already have been excavated, including one near the break.

"We expect we will find nothing of import at most of the locations," said Hal Melendy, a senior manager at Colonial Pipeline Co. in Atlanta. "In fact, at the first five locations where we dug to check pig indications, three showed nothing of consequence other than something like buried metal or wire close to the pipeline."

The company said it expects the work to be finished by early fall.

The line has been operating at reduced capacity since the break.

"If we don't return to normal operations by the time we begin transporting large volumes of fuel oil for the winter home-heating season, there could be serious market supply disruptions on the East Coast," Melendy said.

by CNB