By: Amy Dalrymple (North Dakota Monitor)
A pipeline failure in northwest North Dakota caused an estimated 73,000 barrels, or nearly 3.1 million gallons, of brine to spill in Williams County, the Department of Environmental Quality reported this week.
Continental Resources staff discovered the spill about 1:35 p.m. Monday about 16 miles northeast of Williston and notified state regulators, said Marty Haroldson with the Division of Water Quality.
“This would be a larger spill,” Haroldson said Wednesday.
Brine, or produced water, is a waste byproduct of oil production that can be destructive to land. The spill contaminated grassy land near the site of the pipeline failure, Haroldson said. Brine also contaminated an unnamed tributary that eventually flows into Stony Creek.
The spill did not reach Stony Creek and has had no known impacts to drinking water sources, Haroldson said.
An incident report indicates that trucks began removing fluid from the site earlier this week and crews blocked culverts and set up berms to contain the contamination. Crews were working to excavate the pipeline to repair it, according to the incident report.
A Continental Resources representative did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.
Department of Mineral Resources Director Nathan Anderson said the pipeline has been shut down and drained of fluid. The pipeline, installed in 2015, is made of high density polyethylene and had a monitoring system, Anderson said.
The cause of the spill is under investigation. Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Mineral Resources staff are inspecting the site and will be overseeing the investigation and cleanup.
