Federal regulators have ordered the operator of the Keystone pipeline to take several corrective measures after a break earlier this week caused more than 556,000 liters of oil to spread over the agricultural land of North Dakota.
The pipeline operator, South Bow, based in Calgary, said that his goal was to resume deliveries to refineries in the coming days.
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) ordered South Bow to submit the faulty pipe section to a third -party laboratory for mechanical and metallurgical tests, the agency said in a statement on Friday.
The company must also conduct and submit a deep analysis of Tuesday’s failure and examine all the online inspection reports of the last 10 years to identify the anomalies that can be present in the faulty pipe, the adjacent joints or elsewhere on the system, added the agency.
“The PHMSA has already obtained the complete cooperation of the operator and the written commitment to take the necessary measures to repair the line and to identify the cause of failure,” said interim administrator Ben Kochman in the press release. “Several PHMSA investigators are on the ground in the North Dakota and in the installation of the operator’s control room in Calgary, working to determine the cause of the accident.”
The order also requires an evaluation of the special pipeline permit, which allows the line to operate at pressures greater than normal, to determine whether new or modified conditions are necessary.
South Bow still studies the cause of the spill along the Keystone pipeline near Fort Ransom, ND, about 100 kilometers southwest of Fargo. The spill of the underground pipeline released around 3,500 barrels – or 556,455 liters – crude oil on agricultural land.
The affected pipeline segment cannot be restarted as long as the American agency does not authorize the authorization of the operator. South Bow said on Saturday that it was aimed at restoring service and energy services on Tuesday because it makes the order.
South Bow also said that his response and recovery efforts were continuing. The company said its crews were preparing to repair and replace the affected section of the pipe. He also said that the crews were on site with vacuum trucks and other cleaning equipment, and that work would also continue on weekends.
The company also said that it would restrict operational pressures on the Canadian Keystone sections, as agreed with Canadian energy regulators.
The pipeline covers 4,327 kilometers from Alberta to the Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas refineries. The spill has raised concerns about the impacts of a prolonged closure on energy prices, especially for petrol and diesel.
“Our main objective remains on the safety of the personnel on site and the attenuation of environmental risks,” said South Bow. “We are committed to the community surrounding Fort Ransom and will continue to clean the activities until the site is fully corrected.”
