Official: 'Significant' brine spill enters North Dakota lake

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

May 6, 2:39 PM EDT

Official: 'Significant' brine spill enters North Dakota lake

By KEVIN BURBACH
Associated Press

A 63,000-gallon saltwater spill that leaked from an underground pipeline entered a lake via a tributary in northwest North Dakota, a state Department of Health official said Wednesday. He said the spill will not affect any drinking water in the area.

Water Quality Director Karl Rockeman said it's unclear how much of the saltwater has entered Smishek Lake near the town of Powers Lake, which is about 75 miles northeast of the oil boomtown Williston. Saltwater, or brine, is an unwanted byproduct of oil production and is considered an environmental hazard by North Dakota. It is many times saltier than sea water and can easily kill vegetation.

The most recent spill is "significant," Rockeman said, but it still pales next to a massive pipeline spill in January that leaked nearly 3 million gallons of brine, some of which reached two creeks and the Missouri River. Officials have said cleanup of that spill could take from several months to years.

. . .

Oasis Petroleum, which owns and operates the pipeline, is responsible for cleaning up the spill and has been at the site along with crews from the state Department of Health and the North Dakota Oil and Gas Division.




















Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BRINE_SPILL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-05-06-14-39-55

[bobalew]

1. This is a damn tragedy, petrol companies, again cutting corners so somebody gets a BONUS.

But in contrast to California, Texas & Penn, The state of ND is a least making sure the clean-up happens. The spills & such have increased since ND's, Oil Freindly Governer has progressed his time in office, however. The poeple of ND need to enact a change. Let's see if they do, or the slippery, oily slope increases in its angle downwards.

[jakeXT]

2. Reminds me of this "Fracking Chemicals Detected in Pennsylvania Drinking Water"

An analysis of drinking water sampled from three homes in Bradford County, Pa., revealed traces of a compound commonly found in Marcellus Shale drilling fluids, according to a study published on Monday.

The paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, addresses a longstanding question about potential risks to underground drinking water from the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The authors suggested a chain of events by which the drilling chemical ended up in a homeowner’s water supply.

“This is the first case published with a complete story showing organic compounds attributed to shale gas development found in a homeowner’s well,” said Susan Brantley, one of the study’s authors and a geoscientist from Pennsylvania State University.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/science/earth/fracking-chemicals-detected-in-pennsylvania-drinking-water.html?_r=0

[Judi Lynn]

3. Horrendous news. Shame on these criminals. They must be stopped, somehow. Thank you. n/t

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. There was a spill in January too.

Spill reported in North Dakota

[SoapBox]

5. North Dakota pols and citizens alike

Can all be blamed...rubbing their hands together with gleeful greed, over this oil money.

I've got relatives there and they refuse to believe that any of this is bad for their state and lands.

North Dakota...Future Toxic Dump.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

6. North Dakota will be a barren wasteland if this keeps up.

Oh, wait...