The Briefing Room

General Category => National/Breaking News => Topic started by: EC on October 12, 2013, 03:14:46 am

Title: Oil spill the size of 7 football fields discovered in North Dakota
Post by: EC on October 12, 2013, 03:14:46 am: Via PBS: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/10/oil-spill-the-size-of-7-football-fields-discovered-in-north-dakota.html

Quote
One of the largest oil spills in North Dakota history went largely unreported until Thursday, when state officials informed the public of Tesoro Corporation's pipeline break just north of Tioga.

A farmer reported finding crude bubbling out of the ground while he was harvesting his wheat crop on September 29, but the spill was not made public for 12 more days. Officials estimate the pipeline leaked 20,600 barrels of oil.

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple told reporters the state is now investigating its protocol for reporting spills.

"There are many questions to be answered on how it occurred and how it was detected and if there was anything that could have been done that could have made a difference," Dalrymple said Thursday.

Tesoro workers were able to contain the spill, but they estimate the clean-up will cost $4 million. Local farmers say the crude oil will make the land unusable for several years.

The North Dakota spill is one in a series of major pipeline leaks recently in North America that have rallied environmentalists to strongly oppose the extension of TransCanada's Keystone Pipeline.

Earlier this year, the NewsHour reported on a protest of the Keystone Pipeline proposal in Washington, D.C. and analyzed the risks of extending the Keystone Pipeline.

Let me guess. The Keystone Pipeline is looking more attractive?
Title: Re: Oil spill the size of 7 football fields discovered in North Dakota
Post by: Oceander on October 12, 2013, 03:17:11 am: Only 7 football fields? That's a slight slosh out of the bucket compared to most. A cleanup cost of $4 million? Chump change as far as oil spills are concerned.
Title: Re: Oil spill the size of 7 football fields discovered in North Dakota
Post by: Rapunzel on October 12, 2013, 03:21:43 am: I don't suppose we will get the truth about what has caused this?
Title: Re: Oil spill the size of 7 football fields discovered in North Dakota
Post by: DCPatriot on October 12, 2013, 03:26:01 am: Quote from: Rapunzel on October 12, 2013, 03:21:43 am
I don't suppose we will get the truth about what has caused this?

Sure puts a damper on the Keystone Pipeline.....how convenient. [/s]
Title: Re: Oil spill the size of 7 football fields discovered in North Dakota
Post by: EC on October 12, 2013, 03:26:08 am: They'll probably blame fracking.
Title: Re: Oil spill the size of 7 football fields discovered in North Dakota
Post by: Rapunzel on October 12, 2013, 03:26:29 am: Quote from: DCPatriot on October 12, 2013, 03:26:01 am
Sure puts a damper on the Keystone Pipeline.....how convenient. [/s]

That is what I mean.