The Keystone oil pipeline was shut down on Tuesday morning following a rupture in North Dakota, according to multiple reports. The incident has raised concerns over environmental safety as the pipeline is a crucial corridor for transporting crude oil from Canada to U.S. refineries.

The shutdown was initiated after a pressure drop was detected by control center leak detection systems, prompting immediate action by South Bow, the pipeline's management company since 2024. Bill Suess, the spill investigation program manager with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, noted that a nearby employee heard a "mechanical bang" and swiftly shut down the pipeline within minutes.

Oil has been reported surfacing 300 yards south of the pump station, but the release was confined to an agricultural field, with no injuries or structural impacts reported. Emergency personnel responded promptly and took actions to isolate the affected area, including blocking off a nearby seasonal stream as a precaution.

While the exact cause of the rupture remains unclear, Suess mentioned that the volume of oil spilled, although substantial, was not expected to rival previous spills related to the pipeline. In the past, the Keystone has experienced several significant incidents, with one notable spill of approximately 14,000 barrels occurring in Kansas in 2022.

The Keystone pipeline, constructed at a cost of $5.2 billion, has been a focal point of environmental debates. Attempts to expand the pipeline further south into the Gulf Coast with the Keystone XL project were halted in 2021 following strong opposition from environmental activists. Recent political commentary includes calls by former President Trump to reconsider the completion of the Keystone XL extension.

For further updates, please stay tuned for more information regarding this evolving situation and its potential impacts on regional policies and environmental regulations.