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Pipeline leak spills 20,600 barrels near Tioga
Jerry Burnes | Posted: Thursday, October 10, 2013 12:01 pmA leaking pipeline has spilled an estimated 20,600 barrels of oil near Tioga, a leak that was originally reported by Tesoro Logistics on Sept. 29.
Kris Roberts, environmental geologist with the North Dakota Department of Health Division of Water Quality, told the Williston Herald on Thursday the leak was caused by a hole that deteriorated in the side of the pipe. He added it isn't known how long oil was leaking, which is still under investigation.
Roberts said the Bakken crude came to the surface on Sept. 29 and was reported to all the needed agencies on Sept. 30. Tesoro was given permission to burn the surface layer of 750 barrels in order to excavate the land to reach the pipeline.
Roberts said the company plugged and clamped the lead as a temporary fix and determined there was a “very porous” and permeable soil down to 10 feet, which is where the company ran into a 40-60-foot pocket of clay.
“No water, surface water or ground water was impacted,” Roberts said. “They installed monitoring wells to ensure there is no impact now or that there is going to be one.”
Tesoro also dug several recovery trenches to vacuum the oil off and as of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the company had recovered an additional 1,165 barrels, not including the original 750.
The company also retained Antea USA, formerly Delta Environmental, of the Twin Cities to develop a remediation program that will be submitted and reviewed by the Department of Health. Roberts said the Environmental Protection Agency was updated Thursday morning but is not involved in the investigation because ground and surface water wasn't involved.
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