Drift River Terminal Facility

It is located in Alaska along Cook Inlet, at the terminus of the Drift River, an historic floodplain of nearby volcanic Mount Redoubt.

Oil tankers load crude from the tanks via a pump station located approximately one mile offshore, known as the Christy Lee Platform.

[3] A major eruption of Redoubt on April 4, 2009 and subsequent flash floods damaged a generator facility and disrupted plans to remove the remaining crude oil from the facility and replace it with ballast water to stabilize the tanks and protect them from being dislodged during any future flooding.

The workers on site were evacuated to a "safe room" complete with food and sleeping quarters, as well as bathrooms and entertainment facilities to wait out the flooding.

The Coast Guard will coordinate the oil removal with the Alaska Volcano Observatory and proceed when it is safe to do so.

Location of the Drift River Terminal Facility
View west of the tank farm at DROT on March 23, 2009. Lahar deposits have ramped up to the top of the west dike and spilled over in a couple of locations. Water entered the compound along an existing roadway (foreground). The north dike (center) ends behind the grove of trees in the right midground. A seventh tank is not visible in the photo.