Alaska pipeline to bypass leak, restart the Haft seen (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - a familiar source with its main pipeline to Alaska operations was still expected to restart this week plans to circumvent a section which leak forced the line to close their doors on Saturday, the idling of 12 per cent of us oil production, said on Tuesday.

Trans Alaska Pipeline System Alyeska operator expects to circumvent zone leaking on the 630 000 barrels per day, line 800 miles (1 280 kilometres) by installing a substitute extend the pipe industry source told Reuters. Alyeska will be awaiting approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to resume operations, he added.

Monday, DOT Pipeline and hazardous materials Safety Administration, said that the pipeline would not require approval to be repaired and restarted. Regulatory approval times delay pipeline restarted.

TAPS leaked a small amount of oil in the basement of an extra pumping station and has been closed over the weekend. Although the judgment should be short, he helped drive gains in global oil prices this week.

U.S. light crude reference for February delivery rose by 2% at $91.03 per barrel Tuesday.

The pipeline is usually able to restart quickly, even after a spill. Last may, when several thousand barrels of oil spilled into a pumping station, the line is forced to close for less than four days.

According to an update issued Monday by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, about 18 barrels of oil were recovered by the building of the boost pump cleaning teams. Tests indicate that the leak or leaks in piping fulfilling CED said.

Teams work to drain the existing discharge pipe it murer and install a circumvention of 157-foot line CED said. Alyeska chartered planes to deliver the required parts and equipment to North slope.

Alyeska is owned by enterprises that operate on the north slope of Alaska - BP owns approximately 47% of the company, while Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips hold 28% and 20% respectively.

Closing main pipeline to Alaska U.S. crude supplies only minor threat, but any anomalies delaying its restart may send Coast West refiners scrambling to replace crude and drive up prices.

(Statement by Janet McGurty;) Written by Joshua Schneyer; (Editing by Marguerita Choy)