SEATTLE (Oil Monster): South Bow has restarted the Keystone Pipeline after a shutdown caused by a crude oil spill in North Dakota. The company said the restart would be a controlled process involving 24/7 monitoring, lower operating pressures and regulatory compliance.
An estimated 3,500 barrels of oil spilled after a reported “mechanical bang,” with recovery efforts retrieving about 1,170 barrels by early Friday.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration approved the restart plan, though the cause of the spill has not yet been disclosed, pending South Bow’s internal investigation.
South Bow stated that they completed repairs, inspections, and testing at the spill site. The company also indicated that it would implement pressure restrictions on sections of the pipeline in Canada and has communicated those measures to Canadian regulators.
The PHMSA approved South Bow’s plan to restart the pipeline. The company has not disclosed the specific cause of the spill but said it will release the results of its internal investigation when they become available.
Courtesy: www.san.com
