Phillips 66, an energy company, reported a large oil spill in Mountrail County. The company informed the ND Dept. of Environmental Quality that around 12,012 gallons, or 286 barrels, of crude oil spilled at their rail loading facility near Palermo on Monday. An unknown amount of crude oil has also entered the surrounding wetlands. The cause of the spill is currently under investigation.
Bill Suess, Spill Investigation Manager for the Division of Water Quality, said “They are going to have to pump down the wetland. They are probably going to have to pump it completely out and then let it naturally recharge. Sometimes with these, they’ll have to pump it out two or three times begore they get everything out. But, no, with crude oil, it won’t have a long term effect.”
