A leak on the Keystone pipeline, which has spilled up to 2.2 million liters of crude oil into a US waterway, was on its way to being brought under control on Friday, December 9, according to US authorities. If the estimate of the extent of the flow is confirmed, it will be the largest oil spill in the United States since 2013, according to the Pipeline Safety Trust, which promotes pipeline safety.
The Canadian company TC Energy, which manages the infrastructure, located the accident Wednesday evening in Kansas and urgently cut off the flow of hydrocarbons in the pipe. “Affected segment remains isolated” and the flow of oil downstream “is contained”the company said on Friday. The cause of the pipe rupture was not immediately identified.
Earth dam and vacuum trucks
“We are monitoring and investigating the Keystone pipeline leak”assured the US Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, in a tweet. The pipeline safety agency (PHMSA) ordered the company to pick up on Thursday “all necessary measures to protect the public, property and the environment from potential dangers” relating to escape.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, TC Energy installed an earth dam about 6 kilometers downstream from the accident. “to prevent further oil spills”. The group also brought vacuum trucks and equipment to recover the oil spilled into the Mill Creek waters. Product recovery is expected to continue into next week.
Impact on the price of oil
The Keystone pipeline transports hydrocarbons from the province of Alberta in western Canada to various destinations in the United States. Normally, its yield is around 600,000 barrels per day.
On Friday, the company was still considering when to restart the service, which can’t happen until PHMSA gives the green light. Oil prices surged temporarily on Thursday after news of the leak before falling again. The impact of the incident on the energy market will depend on the duration of the suspension of Keystone, which in particular brings crude oil to the Cushing terminal in Oklahoma, where American oil used as a reference for investors is stored.
