11/19/09

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) _ A sinking storage tank roof at a Sinclair
Oil refinery that caused Wyoming's biggest spill in decades earlier
this year wasn't unprecedented: The same thing happened at a
similar tank at the refinery in 2007.

Leaks in the pontoons holding up the floating roofs occurred
before both incidents.

The May 3 spill of nearly 3 million gallons of gasoline-grade
fluid created a serious explosion risk next to the town of
Sinclair.

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality learned about
the roof that sank on Jan. 20, 2007, during an inspection that
November. Refinery Manager Mike Bellinger says the refinery's tank
roofs are inspected regularly but the refinery lost track of a
report showing leakage in the pontoons holding up the roof that
sank this year.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APNP-11-19-09 1559MST<