Damage to Northland fuel pipeline believed to have happened three years ago
Thursday, 19 October 2017
A ruptured fuel pipeline which sparked an aviation crisis is now believed to have been damaged three years ago.
The Northland Regional Council said on Thursday morning it had collected evidence indicating a digger was on site in the area of the damaged pipeline in Ruakaka, Northland during that timeframe.
The 170km pipeline transports virtually all of Auckland's fuel from the Marsden Point Refinery in Northland, including jet fuel to Auckland Airport.
It ruptured in September, causing widespread delays and cancellations of flights before being repaired 10 days later.
**READ MORE:
* First batch of jet fuel pumped to Auckland Airport after pipeline repaired
* Digger confirmed as cause of Auckland jet fuel crisis
* Auckland Airport's jet fuel supply vulnerability is well-known, and serious
* Air NZ restricts ticket sales and cancels more flights amid jet fuel shortage**
Earlier, Refining NZ spokesman Greg McNeill said investigations had shown a digger had 'scraped' the pipe.
The damage had caused corrosion and ultimately a 'small tear' in the pipeline.
Over time, rust had eaten away the pipeline, leading to the rupture 8km south of the refinery.
All supplies down the line had to be halted, and tankers were called in to transport fuel from the refinery to the airport to bridge the gap while the pipeline was repaired.
Refining NZ, which owns the pipeline, estimated the incident would cost the company between $10 million and $15m in lost revenue.
The council said discussions with both the landowner's wife and a neighbour had now confirmed a digger was on site three years ago.
Satellite imagery had been checked to see if a digger had been in the area over the relevant period.
However, cloud cover meant the site was 'not visible for much of the time and no useful imagery was able to be sourced', the council said.
The identity of the digger driver allegedly involved had not yet been confirmed.
However, the council was now following a 'strong line of inquiry' in that regard, it said.
'Council is unable to provide more detail at this stage to avoid compromising this aspect of its investigation.'
Legally, the council has until mid-March 2018 to lay any charges related to the spill, which is classed as an 'unauthorised discharge of contaminants to land'.
The council said its current focus was 'ensuring a methodical, careful and thorough investigation into the cause of the discharge'.
Samples of underground, or bore water in the vicinity of the rupture had been independently analysed by Hamilton-based Hill Laboratories.
That had confirmed that bore water supplies had not been contaminated by the fuel spill, the council said.
It was working with Refining New Zealand on repairing the site and clarifying the necessary resource consents.
Colin Dall, the council's group manager of regulatory services, would not be drawn on whether the digger was believed to have been digging for swamp kauri, as was previously speculated.
'The damage to the pipeline or the rupture to the pipeline resulted in a discharge of jet fuel, or contaminants. Under the Resource Management Act that's what we're investigating, the discharge of contaminants,' he said.
'Why the digger was in the area is irrelevant in that regard.'
A council officer had spoken to the landowner's wife, but had not yet been able to speak to the landowner himself, Dall said.
'We've left a message with the landowner to get in touch but we've had no response to that.'