Officials from Plains All American Pipeline said they hope the broken section of a pipeline that spilled oil along the California Coast can be removed for investigation today.
The company on Monday downgraded the amount of oil that may have spilled. The new estimate of the worst-case volume of oil released is 101 000 gallons. That's about 4200 gallons less than previously thought.
Plains All American Pipeline hoped to dig down to the pipe and take a look at the ruptured area by the end of Tuesday, company spokeswoman Meredith Matthews said. The step is crucial toward determining the cause of the break.
Plains officials said they would disclose more information on the dig and possibly the condition of the pipe at news conference Tuesday afternoon.
Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner
Sources: Los Angeles Times, ABC News