4 bullet marks found on oil pipeline

Four bullet marks have been discovered on the trans-Alaska oil pipeline about a mile from where a .338-caliber rifle shell punctured the pipe and caused 285,000 gallons of oil to gush onto the tundra.

The four bullets penetrated the insulation jacket but did not cause leaks, Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. said Friday. There were no plans to halt operations while the line is repaired.

It is not known if the damage is related to the Oct. 4 rifle shooting of the pipeline 75 miles north of Fairbanks for which a man is charged with felony assault, weapons misconduct and criminal mischief.

chicagotribune.com