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. 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.

Background

The

Keystone Pipeline System The Keystone Pipeline System is an oil pipeline system in Canada and the United States, commissioned in 2010 and owned by TC Energy and as of 31 March 2020 the Government of Alberta. It runs from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta ...

spans from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta to refineries in Texas. The oil pipeline is owned by TC Energy and the Government of Alberta. Pipelines in the Keystone Pipeline System go through stress tests prior to use.

Detection and response

At 9:00 p.m. EDT on December 7, TC Energy launched an emergency shutdown of the Keystone Pipeline, following a drop in pressure. The

Environmental Protection Agency A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...

built a earthen dam to contain the spill. 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). An evacuation order was not ordered.

Environmental impact

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.

Pipeline investigation

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration began an investigation into the leak. The Environmental Protection Agency dispatched two coordinators, who determined there was no impact to drinking water in the Washington County area.

Economic impact

The price of

crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...

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 The 2021–2022 global energy crisis began in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, with much of the globe facing shortages and increased prices in oil, gas and electricity markets. The crisis was caused by a variety of economic factor ...

. TC Energy declared a ''

force majeure In contract law, (from Law French: 'overwhelming force', ) is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such ...

'' upon news of the leak.

References

{{Reflist Oil spills in the United States December 2022 events in the United States 2022 in Kansas