Incident at Wisconsin terminal spills 2,500 barrels of crude oil

Jan 27, 2003 12:00 PM

About 2,500 barrels (100,000 gallons) of crude oil leaked from underground piping at Enbridge Energy's terminal in Superior WI Friday, January 24. At least 450 barrels of the product spilled into the Nemadji River nearby, according to Enbridge information.

The incident occurred as oil was moved from a pipeline into a storage tank, said Mark Sitek, Superior region general manager.

The incident was reported to the Coast Guard's National Response Center, which notified other federal and state response agencies, including the federal Office of Pipeline Safety. Additionally, the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Duluth MN immediately activated the unit's incident command system and dispatched pollution investigators to the leak site.

The majority of the oil was contained within the terminal ditching and retention pond system, according to Enbridge information.