WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today issued a Safety Order to the Tesoro High Plains Pipeline Company in response to a recent pipeline rupture and resulting oil spill in North Dakota, ordering the company to complete a number of short and long-term system-wide improvements to protect people and surrounding environments.  The Safety Order is the result of an investigation of the company’s High Plains Pipeline System, which recently leaked an estimated 20,000 barrels of crude oil in a North Dakota field. The pipeline rupture occurred in Williams County and was discovered on September 29.  The pipeline has been shut down and PHMSA has been investigating that spill since it was reported.

“Safety is our highest priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.   “Today’s Safety Order is an important step to protect the people and environment in this area and to strengthen the integrity of the pipeline so that something like this doesn’t happen again.”

PHMSA will not allow Tesoro to restart the pipeline unless the operator accepts the corrective measures set forth in the Order.  The Order requires the company to perform frequent aerial and ground inspections and install additional leak detection equipment. Tesoro must also update maps of the entire High Plains Pipeline System and evaluate the pipeline to identify further preventative measures to protect important water bodies. The system consists of approximately 700 miles of pipeline.

“PHMSA is committed to improving safety and environmental protection for the nation’s pipeline systems,” said PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman.  “This Order requires Tesoro to apply its resources to address any potential future risks to property and to the environment.”

In addition to the corrective measures included in the Safety Order, PHMSA required Tesoro to submit a restart plan for the entire pipeline segment to the agency for approval, conduct mechanical and metallurgical testing and failure analysis of the failed pipe, and evaluate previous inspection results.

The failed pipe segment has been removed and sent to a lab for analysis. New pipe has been installed and tested, and pressure and flow detection systems have been installed.

Updates on the investigation can be found on PHMSA’s website.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration develops and enforces regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the nation's 2.6 million mile pipeline transportation system and the nearly 1 million daily shipments of hazardous materials by land, sea, and air. Please visit http://phmsa.dot.gov for more information.

###