| Keystone Pipeline oil spill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Washington County, Kansas, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°50′32″N 96°59′48″W / 39.8422617°N 96.9965473°W / 39.8422617; -96.9965473 |
| Date | December 7, 2022 |
| Cause | |
| Operator | TC Energy |
| Spill characteristics | |
| Volume | 588,000 U.S. gallons (14,000 barrels) |
The Keystone Pipeline oil spill occurred on December 7, 2022, when a leak in the Keystone Pipeline released 14,000 barrels of oil into a creek in Washington County, Kansas.[1] The leak is the largest in the United States since the 2013 North Dakota pipeline spill and the largest in the history of the Keystone Pipeline.[2][3][4]
The Keystone Pipeline System spans from the Western Canadian Sedimentary BasininAlberta to refineries in Texas.[5] The oil pipeline is owned by TC Energy and the Government of Alberta.[6] Pipelines in the Keystone Pipeline System go through stress tests prior to use.[4]
At 9:01 p.m. EDT on December 7, the first indication of a leak on the pipeline was signaled. At 9:08 p.m., TC Energy launched an emergency shutdown of the Keystone Pipeline, following a drop in pressure.[7] The Environmental Protection Agency built an earthen dam to contain the spill.[4] The leak was detected near Washington County, Kansas, and spilled into Mill Creek, a creek that flows directly into the Little Blue River (Kansas/Nebraska).[8] An evacuation order was not ordered.[9][10]
The leak raised concerns from environmentalists due to the transfer of tar sands through the pipeline, which are more toxic than crude oil and can sink in water.[4]
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration began an investigation into the leak.[7] The Environmental Protection Agency dispatched two coordinators, who determined there was no impact to drinking water in the Washington County area.[11]
The independent analysis of the failure concluded that the failure occurred due to a combination of factors, including bending stress on the pipe and a weld flaw at a pipe to fitting girth weld that was completed at a fabrication facility.[12]
The price of crude oil rose 5% following the shutdown of the Keystone Pipeline, before receding. The surge occurred during a selloff of the price of oil, following the 2021–2022 global energy crisis.[7] TC Energy declared a force majeure upon news of the leak.[13] The spill, which leaked into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, cost about $480 million in clean-up efforts.[14]
