Enbridge Energy Partners (NYSE:EEP) is currently working to clean-up the oil spill that occurred from its Lakehead pipeline system in Michigan.
The oil leak occurred on the company’s Line 6B pipeline near Marshall, Michigan early on July 26, 2010. Oil spilled into Tallmadge Creek, and through a tributary, has now contaminated Kalamazoo River.
The pipeline was shut-down immediately, but the initial estimate of the size of the oil leak is 19,500 barrels.
"Crews worked through the night on containment, including the use of booms, oil skimmers and vacuum trucks. Additional crews and equipment will be onsite early Tuesday to assist with oil containment. We had approximately 50 people working through the night and we expect over 100 workers on-site during the day," said Stephen Wuori, an executive with Enbridge.
Stationed along Tallmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River, oil spill clean-up crews are suing skimmers, containment and absorbent booms to reclaim the oil that spilled. Additionally, a temporary dike has been constructed near the point of origin to stop any more oil from entering the creek.
"We are currently focused on bringing all available resources to bear in our efforts to safely contain the leaked oil on the Kalamazoo River,” added Wuori. “We have brought in multiple crews of trained Enbridge personnel, and continue to draw on our contractors to further augment our resources. We are members of emergency response organizations, and will continue to work with experts from those organizations to address the current situation and longer-term clean up and remediation efforts.”
The cause of the leak is uncertain, although the company is actively investigating the accident. The section of the pipeline that leaked will be removed and transferred to a third-party facility, where it will be examined and tested.
The restart of the Line 6B pipeline is unclear. Enbridge is working to minimize any service impact resulting from the leak to refiners and carriers.
Line 6B is a 30-inch-diameter crude oil pipeline with a daily transport capacity of 190,000 barrels. A part of Enbridge’s Lakehead system, the pipeline transports synthetics and heavy and medium crude from Griffith, Indiana, to Sarnia, Ontario.
