A huge oil leak discovered in northern Kansas has caused the Keystone Pipeline to be shutdown.

TC Energy in Calgary says there’s been a “confirmed release of oil” in a creek near the Kansas-Nebraska border, and that an estimated 14,000 barrels had been discharged as of late Thursday. Over 600-thousand barrels of oil flow through the Keystone Pipeline each day, from Alberta to refineries in the Midwest and on the Gulf Coast.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, early on the morning of December 8th TC Energy reported the discharge of crude oil from the pipeline near Washington, Kansas.

The EPA has dispatched two On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) to the scene of the reported discharge. State and local responders were also on-scene.

Local emergency crews from the Washington County, Kansas, Emergency Management team are on-scene.

TC Energy has mobilized a response crew originating from Steele City, Nebraska, located about 20 miles north, to begin containment and source control.

At this time, there are no known impacts to drinking water wells or the public. Surface water of Mill Creek has been impacted.

EPA OSCs will oversee TC Energy’s response operations to ensure proper cleanup and evaluate the cause of the incident.

No timetable has been given for restarting the pipeline.

_ _ _

Photo by Klim Musalimov on Unsplash