The Latest: Shell: Pipeline fixed after California oil spill

TRACY, Calif. – The Latest on an oil spill in rural Northern California (all times local):

10:45 a.m.

Officials at Shell Oil Co. say crews have repaired an underground pipeline after it broke and spilled up to 21,000 gallons of oil in rural Northern California.

Company spokesman Ray Fisher said Tuesday that workers are running small amounts of oil through the pipeline to test it and are working on cleaning up the contaminated soil near Tracy, about an hour east of San Francisco.

Shell reported the leak after noticing that its pipeline lost pressure Friday morning, and it shut off the flow of oil. San Joaquin County officials say the crude was visible in a 250-by-40-foot area on the ground.

Fisher says “the fact it’s already been repaired speaks to the expedience” with which Shell has handled the break.

Environmentalists say they’re assessing whether the spill poses risks to wildlife and underground water reserves.

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6 a.m.

Hazardous materials crews are cleaning up as many as 21,000 gallons of oil after a pipeline rupture in Northern California.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/1TB4Y1x) that Shell Pipeline Co. officials say a response team is clearing contaminated soil and helping local and state officials monitor local air, water and ground conditions.

Shell reported the leak after noticing that a line lost pressure Friday. The underground pipeline near Tracy was leaking crude oil into the soil but not near any waterways.

San Joaquin County officials say the oil was visible in a 250-by-40-foot section on the ground.

Shell says there is no timeline for when oil flow will be turned back on.