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CARROLLTON, Ky. -- A ruptured pipeline sent about 63,000 gallons of crude oil into the Kentucky River yesterday, and crews raced to contain the spill before it reached the Ohio River.

The cause of the rupture wasn't immediately known, but no foul play was suspected.

No evacuations were necessary, drinking water was not expected to be affected, and no one was in danger, although residents might notice a strong diesel odor.

About 75 geese landed on the oil-slicked river and four were injured, said Sam Vaughn, an avian specialist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

No fish deaths were reported, said Mike Hardin, environmental section chief for the Fish and Wildlife Department. But he added, "Right now we don't know the extent of the damage."

By late afternoon, three oil-containment barriers had been placed above a dam near Carrollton to catch the 12-mile-long slick, and a fourth was being erected below the dam.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher, touring the spill site yesterday by helicopter, called for an assessment of pipeline safety and security.

"We have a responsibility and a role in that, and we're going to take on that responsibility," said Fletcher, noting that he is chairman of the Southern States Energy Board, which is working on an initiative to improve pipeline safety.

At midafternoon the spill was about five miles from where the two rivers meet and was moving about 1 mph. Emergency crews erected the barriers on the Kentucky River near Lock & Dam No. 1.

Art Smith, on-scene coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said the oil may become more of a problem if it reaches the Ohio River.

"It could emulsify the oil and break it down into its components, and possibly affect the water supply," Smith said.

Smith said officials probably will not know until tomorrow whether the spill has reached the Ohio. Officials said the spill eventually could reach Louisville's water supply, about 40 miles downstream, if it gets into the Ohio. But the water can be treated if that becomes necessary and would not pose a problem, said Barbara Crow, a spokeswoman for the Louisville Water Co.

Sensors indicated problem
The spill occurred about 12:30 a.m. yesterday near the border of Henry and Carroll counties when a 22-inch underground pipeline burst. The line runs from Longview, Texas, to Lima, Ohio, and carries an average of 7.6 million gallons daily.

Mid-Valley Pipeline Co. of Tulsa, Okla., the pipeline's owner, shut it down within 10 minutes after remote sensors indicated a problem, said Dan Harden, the company's area supervisor. But the crude oil already had begun spilling toward the river, about 50 feet from the pipeline.

The company had not determined yesterday what caused the line to break, Harden said, but he ruled out foul play.

Damon Hill, a spokesman for the federal Office of Pipeline Safety, said the spill was under investigation but also noted that foul play was not suspected.

Harden said Mid-Valley will pay the cleanup cost.

Mike Deahl, a district supervisor for Sunoco Logistics, one of three oil companies that jointly own Mid-Valley, said cleanup could take several weeks.

Deahl said the pipeline that failed was 52 years old and had been electronically tested twice since 2003, showing no problems. The same line had a rupture near Leitchfield in the early 1990s, he said, but he did not know details.

In January 2000, between 500,000 and 900,000 gallons of oil spilled into a Kentucky River tributary in Clark County.

And in May 2000, 200,000 gallons of bourbon spilled into the Kentucky River, causing 227,692 fish to die.