How did the Lac Megantic accident happen?
In the early morning of 6 July 2013, a runaway train hauling 72 tankers filled with crude oil derailed as it approached the centre of the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. The tanker cars exploded and the oil caught fire, killing 47 people and destroying many buildings and other infrastructure in the town centre.
What type of oil is in the Bakken?
Bakken oil, or Bakken crude, is also known as “North Dakota Sweet,” or “North Dakota Light” crude oil, due to its low sulfur content. In this respect, it is similar to traditional crude oil from West Texas, known as West Texas intermediate crude.
Is Bakken crude heavy or light?
light
The crude oil produced in North Dakota’s Bakken formation also tends to be relatively light. Conversely, the crude oil produced in California and the Federal Gulf of Mexico tends to be heavier. In contrast to the light crude oil that is increasingly produced in the United States, imported crude oil tends to be heavier.
How is Bakken oil transported?
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a 1,172-mile underground 30″ pipeline transporting light sweet crude oil from the Bakken/Three Forks production area in North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois. Safely operating since June of 2017, the Dakota Access Pipeline now transports 570,000 barrels of oil per day.
Why did the train derailed in Lac-Mégantic?
The Safety Board identified multiple causes for the accident, principally leaving a train unattended on a main line, failure to set enough handbrakes, and lack of a backup safety mechanism.
Which country is the largest producer of sweet crude oil?
Top 10 Countries with the Highest Oil Production (barrels per day)
- United States – 11,567,000.
- Russia – 10,503,000.
- Saudi Arabia – 10,225,000.
- Canada – 4,656,000.
- Iraq – 4,260,000.
- China – 3,969,000.
- United Arab Emirates – 2,954,000.
- Brazil – 2,852,000.
How many times has the Dakota pipeline leaks?
Sunoco Logistics, the future operator of the pipeline, has spilled crude oil from its onshore pipelines more often since 2010 than any other US pipeline operator, with at least 203 leaks disclosed to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, with a total of 3,406 barrels (143,100 US gal; 541.5 m3) of …
Is Dakota Access Pipeline shutting down?
Although President Joe Biden’s administration has said it won’t shut down the pipeline in the near term, Dakota Access has been the focus of intense opposition by climate activists, celebrities and Native Americans.
What was the worst rail disaster in Canada’s history?
The Hinton train collision was a rail transport accident that occurred in Canada on 8 February 1986. Twenty-three people were killed in a collision between a Canadian National Railway freight train and a Via Rail passenger train called the Super Continental, including the engine crews of both trains.
Who was the shipper of the Bakken oil train derailment?
Irving Oil Commercial G.P. was the shipper in this case. 3,830 rail cars of Bakken crude were shipped by 67 trains in the nine-month period preceding the derailment. In 2009, in the United States, 69% of the tank car fleet were DOT-111 cars. In Canada, the same car (under the designation CTC-111A) represents close to 80% of the fleet.
How many tank cars were destroyed in the oil train derailment?
Nine tank cars at the rear of the train remained on the track and were pulled away from the derailment site and did not explode. Almost all of the derailed tank cars were damaged, many having large breaches. About six million litres of petroleum crude oil were quickly released; the fire began almost immediately.
How much crude oil was released when the oil tanker exploded?
Almost all of the derailed tank cars were damaged, many having large breaches. About six million litres of petroleum crude oil were quickly released; the fire began almost immediately.
Is Bakken oil more flammable than the oil itself?
In fact, Smith estimates that up to 40 percent of the material in a tank car carrying Bakken oil may be volatile organic compounds, and therefore more flammable than the oil itself.