On Tuesday morning, April 8, 2025, a significant environmental incident occurred near Fort Ransom in Barnes County, North Dakota. A rupture in the Keystone Pipeline led to the release of approximately 147,000 gallons of crude oil into a local farm field. The spill was detected swiftly, and the pipeline was shut down within two minutes of a pressure drop being noticed.
The spill site, located about 60 miles southwest of Fargo, is currently the focus of an extensive cleanup operation involving over 200 workers. So far, approximately 29,400 gallons of oil have been recovered. The cause of the rupture remains under investigation, and there is no set timeline for when the pipeline will resume operations.
🛢️ Environmental and Economic Impact
The Keystone Pipeline, spanning approximately 2,700 miles from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas, is a critical component of North America’s oil infrastructure. The shutdown of this pipeline segment could lead to increased gasoline and diesel prices, particularly in the Midwest, due to reduced crude oil supply to refineries.
While the spill has been contained to the agricultural field, continuous air quality monitoring is underway to ensure public safety. Local residents have reported the smell of crude oil, but no adverse health effects have been reported at this time.
🧠 Did You Know?
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The Keystone Pipeline has experienced 23 spills since its inception in 2010, raising ongoing concerns about its safety and environmental impact.
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The 2025 spill near Fort Ransom is one of the largest in the pipeline’s history, with 147,000 gallons of oil released.
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In December 2022, a previous spill in Kansas released approximately 588,000 gallons of oil into a creek, marking the largest U.S. onshore oil spill in nearly a decade.
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The Keystone Pipeline transports an average of 624,000 barrels of crude oil per day, highlighting the significant impact of its shutdown on the oil supply chain.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.