Keystone Pipeline Oil Spill in North Dakota Caused by Fatigue Crack, Operator Says
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A devastating oil spill in North Dakota earlier this year was caused by a fatigue crack in the Keystone Pipeline, according to the pipeline's operator, South Bow. The spill released thousands of barrels of oil onto farmland, affecting a rural area southwest of Fargo. In its quarterly report, South Bow revealed that the failure was due to a fatigue crack that originated along the pipe's manufactured long-seam weld. An analysis found that the pipe and welds met industry standards. The spill, which occurred on April 8, released an estimated 3,500 barrels or 147,000 gallons of oil. South Bow quickly shut down the pipeline and sent in crews to aid in the cleanup. Vacuum trucks and over 200 workers were deployed to the site, and nearly 90% of the spilled oil was recovered. Local landowner Myron Hammer praised the company's cleanup efforts, saying they were completed in time for him to plant a soybean crop on the affected land. The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has ordered corrective actions following the spill. While a third-party 'root cause analysis' is still pending due to the federal government shutdown, South Bow expects to recover $55 million in spill-related costs through insurance early next year. The pipeline, which transports crude oil from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas, has conducted numerous remedial evaluations and found no injurious issues so far. However, more in-line inspections and integrity digs are planned to ensure the pipeline's integrity.
