North Dakota Oil Spill: Massive Cleanup Underway Amid Pipeline Shutdown

A significant oil spill occurred from a pipeline in North Dakota, releasing approximately 147,000 gallons of crude oil onto farmland. The line's owner, South Bow, is investigating the cause and managing the cleanup with over 200 workers. Pipeline services will resume only after regulatory approvals.

An extensive cleanup operation is ongoing following a significant crude oil spill from an underground pipeline on North Dakota farmland. The pipeline owner, South Bow, confirmed the incident and stated that thousands of gallons of oil have been reclaimed from the affected area.

South Bow is currently investigating the spill's cause, which unfolded along a pipeline near Fort Ransom, North Dakota, about 97 kilometers southwest of Fargo. An estimated 3,500 barrels, or 147,000 gallons, of oil were released into the farmland. So far, 700 barrels, or 29,400 gallons, have been recovered by the cleanup team, which comprises more than 200 workers.

Despite the ongoing efforts, South Bow has not provided a timeline to restart the 4,327-kilometer pipeline that extends from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company stressed that services would only recommence with regulator approvals, and emphasized that continuous air quality monitoring has shown no adverse health effects.

(With inputs from agencies.)