Chevron to Clean Pipe Leak

Chevron Corp. said Sunday that approximately 200 barrels of a waxy crude oil blend were released during the weekend from a break in one of its pipelines into the Los Gatos Creek in Kettleman City, Calif.

The break, which occurred at about 9:30 a.m. in a rural area near Interstate 5, was probably caused by heavy rainfall that sent debris downstream from a collapsed highway bridge, the San Francisco-based oil company said late Sunday.

Chevron said it shut down the 18-inch-diameter pipeline yesterday morning and would take full responsibility for the spill’s cleanup. The pipeline transports about 90,000 barrels of crude oil daily from oil fields in the Southern Joaquin Valley to refineries in the San Francisco Bay.

To contain the spill, Chevron said it has deployed to its site 2,000 feet of flexible containment boom--a barrier that helps to isolate the oil on the water’s surface--as well as absorbent pads and skimming equipment. The company also said more than 150 employees were on-site.