Quake-Damaged Oil Pipeline Will Remain Closed Indefinitely : Environment: Residents and officials applaud Atlantic Richfield’s decision. The line runs through the Valley to South Bay refineries.

An aging oil pipeline that sustained extensive damage in the Northridge earthquake--including a crack that sent walls of flame through a Mission Hills neighborhood--will remain out of commission indefinitely, its owners announced Tuesday.

The 130-mile Four Corners Pipe Line, which connects Kern County oil fields to South Bay refineries, originally was scheduled to reopen by May 1. But executives of Atlantic Richfield Co., which owns the line, decided to put repairs on hold so they could further study costs and safety issues.

Arco spokesman Scott Loll said the company is considering a number of options regarding the 70-year-old pipeline--including shutting down for good the 54-mile stretch that runs under densely populated communities between Newhall and Carson.

“That is a possibility we are not ruling out,” Loll said, acknowledging that Arco eventually wants to reopen the remainder of the pipeline north of Newhall.

During the Jan. 17 6.8-magnitude temblor, the 10-inch diameter pipe ruptured in several places. Most notably, a spill into the Santa Clara River near Valencia killed hundreds of fish and birds and a leak near O’Melveny Elementary School in San Fernando fueled fires along Wolfskill Street that destroyed cars and homes and seriously injured a man.

Many residents and elected officials in Los Angeles and San Fernando feared similar leaks if the line was allowed to reopen without thorough testing and repairs. They applauded Tuesday’s announcement, hoping it would allow more time to discuss alternatives with Arco executives.

Leticia Quezada, president of the Los Angeles Unified School District board, said Arco’s decision “brings a lot of relief. I think it is an incredible announcement on the part of the company.”

San Fernando City Councilman Doude Wysbeek said: “I think the company recognizes that they were wrong about the quality of the pipeline and that if they are going to be good neighbors they are going to have to go beyond state mandates and go the extra mile.”

Wysbeek added that Arco’s action reflected an encouraging change in the way the company deals with concerns raised by the public.

“None of us can do business the way we used to,” he said. “In the old days, the golden rule was, ‘Those who have the gold make the rules.’ That has changed.”

Loll acknowledged, however, that part of the decision to postpone repairs was based on the amount of oil the line was pumping before the January earthquake. In other words, it may not be profitable to reopen the line south of Newhall.

The Four Corners pipe is a “common carrier,” which means other oil companies pay a fee to ship their product through it. The line had already been shut down when the quake hit, and the oil that leaked was residue in the pipe.

The state fire marshal, who has jurisdiction over oil pipelines, identified 20 miles of the Four Corners pipe between Newhall and Carson that needed upgrading after the quake. Loll estimated replacement costs at about $1 million per mile and said Arco has already spent $20 million to clean up spills caused by cracks.

“Given the fact that it was not operating at full capacity 24 hours a day, we are evaluating it,” Loll said.

Since the quake, oil has been shipped along another Four Corners pipeline that also runs through the San Fernando Valley. Loll said the company would continue to reroute oil through that line until it determines how best to proceed.