OAN Staff James Meyers
1:42pm – Thursday, April 10th, 2025
Cleanup efforts have begun after nearly 3,500 barrels of crude oil flowed into North Dakota's agricultural sector was launched after Keystone Pipeline employees heard of a “mechanical bang” from the system Tuesday morning.
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The company said more than 200 people have now been sent to the site to support recovery efforts. Damaged areas of the pipeline remain isolated.
As of Thursday, 700 barrels of oil, or nearly 20% of the amount spill had been recovered, but the system was still closed.
Meanwhile, the cause of the leak is currently unknown. According to spokesman Christine Anderson, the company is still investigating the cause of the spill and how long it takes to repair it.
Paul Blackburn, a policy analyst at the Bold Alliance, said 3,500 barrels, or 147,000 gallons of crude oil equals 16 tanker trucks. That estimate could increase over time, he added.
Southbow said on Thursday that “continued air quality monitoring does not show any signs of current health or public concern,” and that personnel are implementing “with a focus on clock and environmental monitoring.”
The company is currently working with the Pipeline and Hazals Material Safety Association and the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality as cleanup efforts continue.
South Bow is also ongoing investigation into the cause of the spill.
“We have not established a reopening timeline and will only resume services with regulatory approval,” Southbow said. “Our main focus remains on mitigating safety and environmental risks for field staff.”
The Keystone Pipeline came into effect in 2011. It passes through North Carolina, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. The crude it carries is sent to refineries in Oklahoma and Illinois.
After years of protests by environmental groups, the proposed extension that would have brought crude oil to the Gulf in 2021 has been closed.
The pipeline has had three major spills since 2017. The largest was 2022, with 14,000 barrels of crude oil flowing into streams in Kansas.
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