A significant oil spill in North Dakota has led to the shutdown of the Keystone Pipeline, a critical conduit for transporting Canadian crude oil to refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Operated by Calgary-headquartered South Bow Corporation, the pipeline suffered a leak involving approximately 3,500 barrels of crude oil near Fort Ransom in southeastern North Dakota.
According to a company statement issued Wednesday, the incident occurred at Milepost 171 (MP-171), prompting an immediate shutdown of the system. Leak detection systems at South Bow’s control center registered a sudden pressure drop at around 7:42 AM Central Time on April 8, initiating a full-scale emergency response.
Stretching over 4,300 kilometers, the Keystone Pipeline is one of the most important arteries for cross-border crude oil supply. The pipeline typically transports up to 622,000 barrels of oil per day, making its disruption a matter of concern not only for the company but also for downstream markets reliant on steady supply.
South Bow has not yet disclosed the cause of the leak or an estimated timeline for restarting operations. Cleanup efforts are currently underway, with federal and state environmental authorities monitoring the situation closely. The incident revives longstanding concerns about the environmental risks posed by large-scale pipeline infrastructure and is likely to draw renewed scrutiny from regulatory bodies and environmental advocacy groups.
SOURCE: Oilspot Suriname