Portion of Keystone Pipeline shut down after 380,000-gallon oil leak in North Dakota

Link to USA Today Source: www.usatoday.com...

This is such infuriating news. Why after all these many years of building pipelines can they not get it right and prevent these type of disasters? This is on an important aquifer that basically provides water for the entire central US and they want to build this oil leaking mess right on top of it. I think everyone making a profit off of this pipeline should be out there cleaning up this mess with shovels and pumps and doing the work themselves. Perhaps that will give them some stimulus to either build these things so they do not leak or find a better way to get their oil to market.

Has sabotage been ruled out ? 😮

It was not sabatage, it was some sort of failure.

I wonder if it was in the area where the native Americans were worried about it screwing up the environment? Probably, they probably sensed that they would somehow screw them over by dumping a bunch of poison on the land.

a reply to: machineintelligence

You would think there would be sensors and fail safes in place to prevent stuff like this from happening. It is 2019 and it boggles the mind stuff like this keeps happening.

Just a small fine compared to their profits, a slap on the wrist if you will.

I guess we were like that it was under 1 million gallons, this time.

a reply to: machineintelligence

I would like to point out that there is over two million miles of oil and gas lines currently crisscrossing the country.
But this single thousand mile pipeline will destroy the world.

a reply to: watchandwait410

There are sensors in place.
That's why a 30" diameter pipe only spilled the equivalent of half an Olympic size swimming pool.

a reply to: rickymouse

This is a 1 hour drive to a major river so yes this is what everyone was warning about. I expect it will take days to get to the river but this pipeline is practically new. How much poison will it spill in the life of the pipeline? Honestly if those making the profit are not out there cleaning up the mess themselves this kind of crap will just keep happening. Like a dog crapping in the house you feel like they should have their noses rubbed in it.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: machineintelligence

I would like to point out that there is over two million miles of oil and gas lines currently crisscrossing the country.
But this single thousand mile pipeline will destroy the world.

People don't think one will destroy the world. People are frustrated businesses get to express eminent domain to buy part of their land at market value, making it hard for them to sell and move once no one wants to live next to a pipeline.

Do these people get royalties? Nope. So they get screwed... And if a leak does happen, water can be tainted along with soil, or if it's natural gas and an anomaly happened with an explosion, a one mile~ blast radius can kill them.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

And how are these people any different than the people living next to the other two million miles of pipe around the country'?

a reply to: rickymouse

it was some sort of failure

Which could as a result of a sabatage.

Happened near this station 48°30'58.01"N, 97°55'30.93"W.
Pressure drop shut off the pumps but apparently a 9000 barrel oil leak suggests this occurred at a low spot on the line.

a reply to: machineintelligence

It's just greed and most of this stuff is done on purpose.

originally posted by: machineintelligence
a reply to: rickymouse

This is a 1 hour drive to a major river so yes this is what everyone was warning about. I expect it will take days to get to the river but this pipeline is practically new. How much poison will it spill in the life of the pipeline? Honestly if those making the profit are not out there cleaning up the mess themselves this kind of crap will just keep happening. Like a dog crapping in the house you feel like they should have their noses rubbed in it.

I get that you don't like oil.
But nobody wants to see how the sausage is made either.
Pipelines are much safer than using rail cars and trucks.


Here's a perfect example..

www.desmogblog.com...

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: CriticalStinker

And how are these people any different than the people living next to the other two million miles of pipe around the country'?

I think it comes down to were people fairly compensated so they can move if they want. Royalties makes that a lot easier. But people aren't going to be happy if it's government mandated and they get screwed.

I get that you don't like oil.
But nobody wants to see how the sausage is made either.
Pipelines are much safer than using rail cars and trucks.


Here's a perfect example..

www.desmogblog.com...

As I heard it, Warren Buffet purchased the trains that move the oil and donated a LOT of money to the then president. And, thats why the pipelines were stopped until Trump got elected. There were several train mishaps with the trains moving oil, causing lots of damage in the few years I worked in North Dakota. For quite a while, the trains were maxed out for moving oil so wells were not pumping as the storage areas were full.
Great find on the www.desmogblog.com!!

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: machineintelligence

I would like to point out that there is over two million miles of oil and gas lines currently crisscrossing the country.
But this single thousand mile pipeline will destroy the world.

You seem to know the oik biz may I ask in a sealed system under pressure how does it leak and where could it of leaked at?

originally posted by: machineintelligence
a reply to: rickymouse

This is a 1 hour drive to a major river so yes this is what everyone was warning about. I expect it will take days to get to the river but this pipeline is practically new. How much poison will it spill in the life of the pipeline? Honestly if those making the profit are not out there cleaning up the mess themselves this kind of crap will just keep happening. Like a dog crapping in the house you feel like they should have their noses rubbed in it.

"Spilled oil can reach groundwater bodies, in which case it will form a sheen on top of groundwater and will move at lower speeds."
"The oil carried by rainwater in particulate matter forms may persist in the subsurface environments, including the top of groundwater, for decades."
www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org...

"Spilling a single gallon of oil can contaminate as much as one million gallons of water. "

"Gas, fuel oil, and diesel can travel swiftly through the Earth’s surface layers to contaminate groundwater."

They make you have containment protection if YOU own a tank for gas or oil!

"If you have above ground storage tanks on your personal or business property, take protective measures to prevent groundwater contamination. Your storage tanks should always be protected by a secondary containment area. This area will work to prevent contamination, should a spill occur. Containment areas should have the capacity to hold 110 percent of the largest tank’s contents, plus precipitation."
www.the71percent.org...

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: machineintelligence

I would like to point out that there is over two million miles of oil and gas lines currently crisscrossing the country.
But this single thousand mile pipeline will destroy the world.

People don't think one will destroy the world. People are frustrated businesses get to express eminent domain to buy part of their land at market value, making it hard for them to sell and move once no one wants to live next to a pipeline.

Do these people get royalties? Nope. So they get screwed... And if a leak does happen, water can be tainted along with soil, or if it's natural gas and an anomaly happened with an explosion, a one mile~ blast radius can kill them.

They pay land owners for the use of the property. My aunt and uncle receive a check every month for use if their property. They regularly recieve a check for 8000.00. People make money if the pipeline is on your property.

TC energy is the canadian company and they even pay the state for transporting oil through it. What seems to be the problem is they used chinese steel and are dealing with that mistake. They have started a new program to xray the pipeline to replace sections before they fail.

Now here is what your not told its safer to transport oil by pipeline then trucks. Far more spils is spilled in truck accidents than in pipeline ruptures. For example this latest spill is about half an olympic size pool. They will go to the location dig up the dirt and remove the oil. Cleanups on highways are no where near this through. They pick up what they can with sand ,Then simply wash the area with soap and water and get traffic going again.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: CriticalStinker

And how are these people any different than the people living next to the other two million miles of pipe around the country'?

Wonder what the statistics are on being killed/displaced by California wildfires vs a pipeline failure. I also wonder what the stat would be on wildfire and pipeline leak frequency.

originally posted by: CrazeeWorld777
a reply to: machineintelligence

It's just greed and most of this stuff is done on purpose.

How so?