NEWS UPDATE #4: TC Energy Pipeline Rupture and Oil Discharge Near Washington, Kansas

TC Energy crews perform excavation efforts at the pipeline rupture and oil discharge site near Washington, Kansas. (Photo credit: U.S. EPA)

LENEXA, KAN. (DEC. 13, 2022) – EPA Region 7 on-scene coordinators (OSCs) and an EPA public information officer (PIO) are on-scene at the pipeline rupture and oil discharge near Washington, Kansas.

EPA OSCs are monitoring the cleanup activities being performed by TC Energy, and the EPA PIO is working with TC Energy PIOs to ensure that the public remains informed of all actions taking place at the scene.

Since EPA’s third news update on Friday, Dec. 9, TC Energy crews have built a second earthen underflow dam to provide structural relief to the earthen underflow dam that was constructed last week. No additional oil impacts or oil migrations have occurred since the last EPA news update.

Approximately 317 personnel are on-scene from EPA, TC Energy, and other state and local agencies. Response crews have recovered 2,163 barrels of oil-water mixture from Mill Creek, with 435 barrels of oil recovered directly from the ruptured pipeline. That’s a total of 2,598 barrels recovered from the scene.

Questions regarding the investigation related to the cause of the pipeline rupture and operational status of the pipeline should be directed to the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

Questions about the pipeline rupture’s impact on the supply of oil will be referred to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

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