The Keystone Pipeline Leak: Triggered by a Design Flaw
The Keystone Pipeline in Mill Creek, Washington suffered a major leak in December 2022.
The cause of the leak has finally been identified as a design flaw.
TC Energy, the operator of the pipeline, has taken responsibility for the spill.
Zack Pistora of the Sierra Club Kansas Chapter has criticized the incident and called for real consequences for TC Energy and the shutdown of the pipeline.
The company's own investigation found that the leak was caused by bending stress on the pipe and a weld flaw.
The pipeline has suffered 22 leaks since it began operating in June 2010, with four of the worst spills in the last six years.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working from an estimated discharge volume of 14,000 barrels.
Bill Caram of Pipeline Safety Trust has criticized the incident, saying a bad weld from a fabrication facility is troubling.
The Keystone line has been running at a higher rate than other U.S. crude lines since 2017 due to a special permit.
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