The Canadian tar sands and the Keystone family of pipelines made a surprise visit on Tuesday when a rupture occurred in southeastern North Dakota. The pipeline was shut down immediately by an employee who heard a mechanical bang, but an estimated 3,500 barrels or 147,000 gallons of crude oil spilled. This spill is not a minor one, with the Keystone Pipeline having a history of spills at a higher rate than other pipelines.
Paul Blackburn, a policy analyst with Bold Alliance, highlighted the Keystone Pipeline’s history of spills and compared it to the Dakota Access oil pipeline. In its update, the company stated that the pipeline was operating within its design and regulatory approval requirements at the time of the incident.
The rupture in North Dakota occurred within 2 1/2 years of a previous rupture in rural northeastern Kansas. An outside engineering consulting firm found that the original design, construction, and manufacturing of the pipe were factors in the previous spills on the Keystone system.
The consequences of these spills are dire, and environmental groups like Bold Alliance have fought against the extension of the Keystone XL pipeline. The company seems to have factored in fixing occasional ruptures as part of the cost of doing business, which is concerning. The spill in North Dakota serves as a reminder of the risks associated with oil pipelines and the importance of holding owners accountable for maintaining safety standards.
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