Enbridge Pipeline crews cleaning up oil leak near Neche, N.D.
UPDATED 10:20 A.M.
Heavy equipment was at the site this morning, skimming soil from the surface to the frost line, according to Pembina County Sheriff Brian Erovick. "it's fairly deep, but it's not that big of any area," he said.
By: Kevin Bonham, Grand Forks Herald
Enbridge pipeline crews are cleaning up a 3,000-barrel crude oil leak near Neche, N.D.
The leak, reported to be about 126,000 gallons of light crude oil, was detected late Friday night by an Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P., control center.
Heavy equipment was at the site this morning, skimming soil from the surface to the frost line, according to Pembina County Sheriff Brian Erovick.
“It’s fairly deep, but it’s not that big of an area,” he said.
The leak occurred north and east of Neche, just off of 109th Avenue, east of N.D. Highway 18, near the U.S. Manitoba border, according to the sheriff.
Enbridge officials said the pipeline immediately was shutdown and isolated by closing valves upstream and downstream of the suspected leak site. The leak is contained within the Enbridge right-of-way, and no water or wildlife have been affected.
Enbridge employees and contractors are on site removing crude oil from the affected section of the pipeline right-of-way.
The cause of the leak is under investigation by Enbridge and pipeline regulatory authorities.
The affected line reportedly was built in the 1940s. It runs from Cromer, Manitoba, to Superior, Wisc. The segment of what is known as Line 2b between Cromer and Clearbrook, Minn., was expected to remain out of service through Monday.
Oil that was designated for transportation on Line 2b is being moved on other Enbridge pipelines that parallel Line 2b until service is restored on that pipeline.
Enbridge is building a new pipeline – called the Alberta Clipper – between Alberta and Superior, Wisc. The new pipeline, which parallels the line that leaked, is expected to be placed into service later this year. Initially, it will carry about 450,000 gallons a day, with a maximum capacity of about 800,000 gallons daily.
