Until operator TC Energy submits a restart and return-to-service plan because of the hazards posed, a US regulator ordered that a segment of the Keystone pipeline that spilled more than 9,000 barrels of crude in rural North Dakota remain shut.
Without corrective action, continued operation on the affected pipeline segment is or would be dangerous to the environment, property, or life.
For Canadian heavy crude, the Keystone pipeline system is a vital artery. To ensure the safety of the segment of pipe that leaked, the restart and return-to-service plan must specify any appropriate pressure restrictions.
Before a potential restart, TC Energy is also required to test the failed pipeline section. A remedial work plan will be submitted to lay out all the factors that contributed to the failure. To access the precise point of the pipeline that leaked crude, work will begin this week, forcing the line to be shut. There is no estimated schedule for the pipeline restart.
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