Exxon Mobil Yellowstone Oil Spreads 15 Miles

Exxon Mobil has admitted the Yellowstone oil spill they said had been contained to just ten miles, has now spread to at least fifteen miles from the source of the leak. Cleanup efforts of the estimated 42,000 gallons of oil have been ongoing. Such an outpouring of crude oil is not at all sitting well in Montana, where residents are known for having a deep, if not fierce, love of the land. (In Texas where oil derricks are common, perhaps the reaction would be different.) Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said, “We’ll make the decision over the next couple of days whether to shut off some pipelines. The last thing I want is for another pipeline to break.” (Source: LATimes.com)

Governor Schweitzer is trying to lead on energy issues in his state, and actually said this about Big Oil, “There’s enough money in big oil to buy Congress for years into the future.” (Source: theoildrum.com)

Exxon Mobil Pipeline Co. President Gary Pruessing seemed to actually partly blame the Yellowstone River for the spill effects, “The river is well over its banks, very turbulent. I’ve never seen the river like this in my life.” Official word from Exxon Mobil doesn’t appear to be the most credible source of information, considering the huge oil company has been a consistent funder of research saying climate change is not happening due to human activities. Also, Exxon Mobil was just ordered to pay $1.5 billion dollars for a 2006 gasoline leak in Maryland.

It has been speculated that the leak was caused by debris from the extra river water damaging the pipeline, but why is the pipeline even located in a place where such damage could take place? The pipeline was buried below the river six to thirteen feet deep. How about not building oil pipelines in rivers, so they don’t release toxic crude oil into aquatic habitats and threaten the lives of many species of animals and plants? Exxon Mobil turned off one of the pipelines, but still doesn’t know where the leak began.

“I think regulators really need to be evaluating areas where we can’t afford to have spills and creating, you know, a level of oversight and safety in those areas,” explained Anthony Swift from the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Source: LATimes.com)

The current oil leak started near Laurel, Montana where there is an oil refinery. About 6,700 people live in the small town that also has a large rail yard.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Lori B.

5:30AM PDT on Jul 20, 2011

Nuno is correct! Everything is about money. If it is cheaper to be safe, then they WILL be. If you were caught drunk driving once and the punishment would be loss of your license FOREVER, know one would ever drink and drive. But if the same people who are breaking the laws are making the laws, nothing will change!

July 20
send a green star

Janine H.

10:24AM PDT on Jul 16, 2011

Only when the last tree has been cut down; Only when the last river has been poisoned; Only when the last fish has been caught; Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
(Native American proverb)

July 16
send a green star

Andrea C.

11:17AM PDT on Jul 11, 2011

Invest in companies that design and build bikes, buy them,
use them as much as we can, and where ever we can.
Some tough people bike in Montreal even in January, the start of the deep freeze. (Am not yet one of them)

July 11
send a green star

Linda C.

8:35AM PDT on Jul 10, 2011

I'm sure that everyone reading this does so already, but reduce as much as possible your use of oil and try to get others to do so as well. Starve the beast!

July 10
send a green star

Eternal G.

8:06PM PDT on Jul 9, 2011

EVIL!!!

July 9
send a green star

criss S.

6:28PM PDT on Jul 9, 2011

Ty.

Lisa B.

12:50PM PDT on Jul 8, 2011

Look at this disaster and now they want to create the XL pipeline.

July 8
send a green star

KS G.

6:21AM PDT on Jul 8, 2011

Thanks for the article.

Nuno C.

4:34AM PDT on Jul 8, 2011

some kind of fines that put $1bn per 1000 gallons per mile, would reduce almost to zero the spills, because it would be cheaper to be safe. But to put them out of business, just quit oil usage. Stop using car, start with bikes or walking, train, etc! If they rule... it's our fault.

Teresa W.

4:29AM PDT on Jul 8, 2011

Well said, Marie.