Oil pipeline leaks in northwest China

Last Friday, rain-triggered landslides caused a pipeline in northwest China's Shaanxi province to crack. More than a ton of crude oil seeped into the nearby Xingzhi River, which is linked to one of the major reservoirs in Yan'an city.

Workers from the Changqing oil plant staunched the leak by quickly covering the broken pipe. They will soon replace it with a new pipe.

In the river, they set up containment booms to contain and clear the crude oil. Many were worried the oil would flow into the Wangyao reservoir, a major drinking water source for thousands of people.

But the long distance between the leak and the reservoir has given workers enough time to clear that threat.

The vice manager of Changqing oil plant, Jin Yugen, said there are over 25 kilometers between the leakage point and the reservoir, and the crude oil seeped into the Xingzhi River. He said all the crude oil were cleared on the first day using containment booms.

Now the major task is to clear the floating grass. Wangyao reservoir is the second largest in Yan'an city, it is also the main source for 500,000 people. With temperatures rising, the rotten grass must be cleared as soon as possible in order not to affect the water quality.

"The Wangyao reservoir has stopped supplying water for Yan'an city since July 12th, and another reservoir has since filled that role. People in Yan'an are drinking safe water," said Zhang Bin, the vice director of Yan'an Environmental Protection Bureau.

Local environmental staff and experts will continue to keep a close eye on the water quality. Once the floating grass is cleared and the water passes all the safety tests, the reservoir will once again supply water for tens of thousands of local people.