But Sarir and Mislah were damaged early in the conflict, and the regime has destroyed a pipeline booster station halfway to the port in Tobruk from where oil is exported for refining.

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Personnel at Alyeska Pump Station 1 discovered oil leaking into the station's booster-pump building on Saturday morning at 8:15, according to Michelle Egan, a spokeswoman for Alyeska.

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Besides containing living quarters, it will carry the booster rocket needed to push the station back into place if it starts to fall out of orbit.

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Once in flight, the plane will disengage from its capsule and return to the ground, while the capsule launches multistage booster rockets to propel it into space orbit or to the International Space Station.

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