- Jan 15, 2013
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ExxonMobil is continuing cleanup operations after an oil pipeline spilled thousands of barrels of Canadian crude in Arkansas. The spill has led many to speak out against oil sands exploitation and the construction of Keystone XL pipeline.
Exxon's Pegasus pipeline which can carry more than 90,000 barrels of Canadian Heavy crude oil per day from Patoka, Illinois, to Nederland, Texas was shut down after the leak was discovered on Friday in a suburban area near the town of Mayflower, Arkansas.
Shocking amateur video recorded by a resident that went viral, showing the immediate aftermath of the spill as streets flooded and oil burst forth:
"The smell is quite horrendous both outside and inside our home. There is a strong smell of oil in our vehicles, as well," resident Chris Harrell told RT.
Twenty-two homes have been evacuated so far, and more are expected. "Excavation is necessary as part of an investigation to determine the cause of the incident," Exxon spokesperson Alan Jeffers told Reuters.
The accident has left evacuated residents seeking shelter elsewhere. "Basically if it doesn't fit in our car we don't have it right now," local resident Ryan Senia said. He had previously listed his home for sale, but said the spill has forced him to take it off the market.
The spill totaled upwards of 10,000 barrels, according to an ExxonMobil press release. So far, about 12,000 barrels of oil and water have reportedly been recovered. The company has deployed 15 vacuum trucks, 33 storage tanks and 120 workers to the cleanup site.
"There are literally hundreds of cleanup crew people in our area...no one has a definite time frame on how long they will be here, but some people are saying months," Harrell said.
A 3,600-foot boom was also installed near Lake Conway, and an approximately 51-centimeter pipeline was shut down to prevent the spilled oil from reaching the water. So far, no oil has reached the lake.
The cause of the spill is being investigated, and cleanup operations are being coordinated with the Department of Emergency Management and other local authorities.
Meanwhile, the community is anxious to see how the oil giant plans to handle the situation: "The major concern for many people in our neighborhood is the long-term impact, both environmentally and financially. For example, what is this going to do to our property values?" Harrell said. He added that many local residents are angry, and were not aware that the pipeline ran through the area.
Local media reported that journalists were barred from entering the site for over 30 hours following the disaster.
The leak comes amid growing opposition to the controversial Keystone XL project, which would see an oil pipeline run across the US Midwest. TransCanada Corp.'s plan to pipe Alberta oil sands to the US Gulf Coast has been met with criticism over the possible environmental impact.
The project has been embroiled in ongoing controversy. Project supporters have worked to persuade the US to approve the $7-billion project, arguing that the Keystone XL would create thousands of new jobs and free the country from energy dependence on South American exporters such as Venezuela. However, environmentalists have expressed concerns over the pollution risks inherent to the controversial tar sands method of oil production.
Even the US State Department admits the Keystone project will create "numerous" and "substantial" impacts on the environment.
In a March draft environmental impact statement, the US said that the Canadian synthetic crude oil the pipeline is slated to transport into the US produces 17 per cent more greenhouse gases than natural crude oil already refined there. It also said that the construction phase of the project would result in carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to about 626,000 passenger vehicles operating for one year.
The report also said the pipeline could disturb highly erodible soil, degrade streams, encroach on habitats of federally protected species, and be susceptible to potentially disastrous leaks and spills.
But despite its environmental toll, the US says the Keystone pipeline it is still a better option than proposed alternatives which are not reasonable.
President Barack Obama will have the final say on the project, which has been pending for more than four years, as environmental activists battle to kill it.
You can see the video (of what looks like a flooded neighborhood, but its not water its black oil) here
Exxon's Pegasus pipeline which can carry more than 90,000 barrels of Canadian Heavy crude oil per day from Patoka, Illinois, to Nederland, Texas was shut down after the leak was discovered on Friday in a suburban area near the town of Mayflower, Arkansas.
Shocking amateur video recorded by a resident that went viral, showing the immediate aftermath of the spill as streets flooded and oil burst forth:
"The smell is quite horrendous both outside and inside our home. There is a strong smell of oil in our vehicles, as well," resident Chris Harrell told RT.
Twenty-two homes have been evacuated so far, and more are expected. "Excavation is necessary as part of an investigation to determine the cause of the incident," Exxon spokesperson Alan Jeffers told Reuters.
The accident has left evacuated residents seeking shelter elsewhere. "Basically if it doesn't fit in our car we don't have it right now," local resident Ryan Senia said. He had previously listed his home for sale, but said the spill has forced him to take it off the market.
The spill totaled upwards of 10,000 barrels, according to an ExxonMobil press release. So far, about 12,000 barrels of oil and water have reportedly been recovered. The company has deployed 15 vacuum trucks, 33 storage tanks and 120 workers to the cleanup site.
"There are literally hundreds of cleanup crew people in our area...no one has a definite time frame on how long they will be here, but some people are saying months," Harrell said.
A 3,600-foot boom was also installed near Lake Conway, and an approximately 51-centimeter pipeline was shut down to prevent the spilled oil from reaching the water. So far, no oil has reached the lake.
The cause of the spill is being investigated, and cleanup operations are being coordinated with the Department of Emergency Management and other local authorities.
Meanwhile, the community is anxious to see how the oil giant plans to handle the situation: "The major concern for many people in our neighborhood is the long-term impact, both environmentally and financially. For example, what is this going to do to our property values?" Harrell said. He added that many local residents are angry, and were not aware that the pipeline ran through the area.
Local media reported that journalists were barred from entering the site for over 30 hours following the disaster.
The leak comes amid growing opposition to the controversial Keystone XL project, which would see an oil pipeline run across the US Midwest. TransCanada Corp.'s plan to pipe Alberta oil sands to the US Gulf Coast has been met with criticism over the possible environmental impact.
The project has been embroiled in ongoing controversy. Project supporters have worked to persuade the US to approve the $7-billion project, arguing that the Keystone XL would create thousands of new jobs and free the country from energy dependence on South American exporters such as Venezuela. However, environmentalists have expressed concerns over the pollution risks inherent to the controversial tar sands method of oil production.
Even the US State Department admits the Keystone project will create "numerous" and "substantial" impacts on the environment.
In a March draft environmental impact statement, the US said that the Canadian synthetic crude oil the pipeline is slated to transport into the US produces 17 per cent more greenhouse gases than natural crude oil already refined there. It also said that the construction phase of the project would result in carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to about 626,000 passenger vehicles operating for one year.
The report also said the pipeline could disturb highly erodible soil, degrade streams, encroach on habitats of federally protected species, and be susceptible to potentially disastrous leaks and spills.
But despite its environmental toll, the US says the Keystone pipeline it is still a better option than proposed alternatives which are not reasonable.
President Barack Obama will have the final say on the project, which has been pending for more than four years, as environmental activists battle to kill it.
You can see the video (of what looks like a flooded neighborhood, but its not water its black oil) here
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