The recent leak in North Dakota from the Keystone oil pipeline adds to the persistent troubles surrounding the 15-year-old pipeline. The pipeline, stretching 2,700 miles (or roughly 4,350 kilometers), begins in Alberta, Canada. It carries heavy tar sands crude oil, traveling south through the Dakotas and Nebraska before branching out to supply refineries in Illinois, as well as heading further south to Oklahoma and Texas.
Originally constructed at a cost of $5.2 billion, the Keystone Pipeline was completed in 2010 by TC Energy. However, as of 2024, it has been operated by South Bow. This pipeline has experienced numerous leaks, totaling 23 spills across its route, with four incidents occurring in North Dakota alone.
One noteworthy incident in 2022, located in Kansas, marked the largest onshore oil spill in nearly a decade. This rupture resulted in approximately 14,000 barrels of crude oil spilling into a creek in rural pastureland within Washington County, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.
The sizes of the leaks have varied, but collectively, the Keystone pipeline has spilled over 1 million gallons of crude oil over its lifespan. The recent North Dakota leak reportedly involved around 3,500 barrels, according to estimates from South Bow.
The frequent leakages raise questions about underlying issues. An advocacy group, the Pipeline Safety Trust, highlighted a 2021 Government Accountability Office report indicating that preventable construction flaws have led to more spills on the Keystone pipeline compared to other similar pipelines. The report attributes the largest spills to flaws in the original design, the fabrication of the pipe, or during the construction phase.
A particular example is the Kansas leak, where the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration cited a rupture caused by a faulty weld from a fabrication facility. Bill Caram, Executive Director of the Pipeline Safety Trust, remarked that the history of incidents with the pipeline highlights systemic problems.
In addressing whether this is related to the Keystone XL pipeline, it’s crucial to differentiate between the two. Initially, the original Keystone pipeline met little resistance during its proposal and construction. In contrast, the Keystone XL pipeline, proposed later by TC Energy, sparked significant controversy and protests from environmentalists and landowners fearing potential spills could devastate their land and water sources.
Ultimately, the Keystone XL project was abandoned in 2021 after President Joe Biden declined to grant the necessary permit, following efforts by former President Donald Trump to revive it during his term. Environmentalists perceived the expansion of oil sands development as potentially catastrophic for the climate, believing it could intensify global warming due to increased carbon emissions from burning the fuel. Thus, the Keystone pipeline became a focal point in the climate change dialogue, inciting rallies and protests across various cities, including Washington, D.C.