The Keystone oil pipeline ruptured Tuesday morning in North Dakota, spilling crude into an agricultural field near Fort Ransom.
The cause of the rupture and the total volume of oil released remain unclear, officials said. According to Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager for the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, a worker at the site heard a “mechanical bang” and quickly shut down the pipeline within about two minutes.
Oil was seen surfacing roughly 300 yards south of the pump station, Suess said. Emergency crews have responded to the scene and are assessing the extent of the spill.
This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.