Chevron Says It Failed to Detect Pipeline Corrosion That Led to Bay Fuel Spill

Chevron says inspections at its Richmond refinery failed to detect corrosion on a pipeline that leaked hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel into the bay last February, a disclosure that one local official says shows the oil company's overall maintenance practices are inadequate to keep the oil-processing facility and the surrounding community safe.

Chevron briefly discussed the causes of the Feb. 9 leak in a three-page report delivered Wednesday to Contra Costa County Health Services' Hazardous Materials Program.