Ransom County, ND (trfnews.i234.me) — The Keystone Pipeline has resumed operations after a substantial oil spill on April 8, 2025, released approximately 147,000 gallons of crude oil onto farmland near Fort Ransom, North Dakota. The operator, South Bow, initiated a carefully controlled restart on April 14 under reduced pressure and continuous monitoring, following approval from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
The spill was detected promptly when a technician at the Fort Ransom Pump Station heard a “mechanical bang” and initiated an emergency shutdown within two minutes. The failed pipeline section was excavated and replaced; the removed segment has been sent to a metallurgical lab in Houston for analysis. As of April 11, cleanup crews had recovered approximately 1,170 barrels (49,140 gallons) of oil using vacuum trucks.
PHMSA has mandated several corrective actions, including a comprehensive review of the pipeline’s inspection records over the past decade and a reevaluation of its special permit that allows for higher operating pressures. The agency’s investigation into the cause of the rupture is ongoing.
Despite the pipeline’s temporary shutdown, the impact on gasoline prices has been minimal due to recent declines in oil prices influenced by tariffs and trade issues. However, experts caution that diesel prices could experience slight increases.
I’m Chris Harper, and I’m reporting for TRF News.
Did you know? Facts:
-
The Keystone Pipeline spans approximately 2,689 miles, transporting crude oil from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas.
-
Since its inception, the pipeline has experienced multiple spills, with significant incidents occurring in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
-
PHMSA oversees the safety of the nation’s pipelines, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and mandating corrective actions when necessary.