KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It's a huge operation cleaning up an oil spill near Washington, Kansas.
The EPA says the pipeline operator brought out more than 100 crew members to make repairs and clean the area.
Fourteen thousand barrels or 588,000 thousand gallons of crude oil spilled is a big deal to Kenneth Clarkson with the Pipeline Safety Trust.
"It's a lot of crude oil," Clarkson said. "This keystone pipeline has averaged almost a significant failure every year it's been in operation for the last 12 years with about 12 reported significant failures."
The EPA declined an interview but gave a statement that said the pipeline operators noticed a pressure drop Wednesday night, eventually finding the break that spilled crude oil downhill into the nearby Mill Creek.
Overnight, crews built an earthen dam to keep any more oil from flowing further downstream.
The Keystone Pipeline oil flow can transport up to 600 thousand barrels daily from Canada to refineries further south.
For now, the entire line is shut down.
—
