North Dakota Oil Well Still Spilling ‘Out of Control’

From:  EcoWatch 

Oil and saltwater are still spilling at an “out of control” rate from a North Dakota oil well owned by Oasis Petroleum Inc. that blew out over the weekend, UPI reports. So far, more than 67,000 gallons of crude and roughly 84,000 gallons of saltwater-brine (a toxic byproduct from the oil and gas drilling process) have leaked, according to Reuters.

 Ernest Scheyder ✔ @ErnestScheyder

Site of the Oasis Petroleum #oil well blowout near White Earth, North Dakota, shows the well (on right) & river $OAS

3:49 PM - 19 Oct 2015

 

 

Despite the company’s weekend-long efforts to regain control, the well has still not been capped since the 11 p.m. blowout on Saturday.

The well site is located in Mountrail County, approximately 15 miles south of the city of White Earth. The North Dakota Department of Health said that the spill has impacted a nearby river.

“Oasis is working to regain control of the well, but as of 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, the well had not been shut in,” the department said. “A light sheen was observed on the White Earth River approximately 850 feet north of the well pad.”  MORE