In this week’s new update, pipelines outpace trucks in Bakken oil transportation, and a chemical fire in Pennsylvania forced evacuation of nearby homes.


Workers at Lubrizol Corp.’s Oilfield Chemistry site in Pennsylvania were pouring hydraulic fracturing chemicals into a production tank Nov. 17 causing a fire that forced residents from more than 70 nearby homes to evacuate for several hours.

The company says three employees were injured.

Flames shot from the roof and dark gray smoke could be seen for miles as two buildings burned and firefighters attempted to save six others.

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Pipelines Outpace Trucks for Gathering Bakken Oil
According to figures released by the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, more oil is now gathered by pipeline than truck in western North Dakota.

Authority director said Nov. 16 that more oil is leaving well sites by pipeline and that trend is expected to continue. An estimated 441,644 barrels of oil left well sites by truck each day in April, while 725,743 barrels per day were transported by gathering pipelines to either a transmission pipeline or a rail-loading terminal.

All of North Dakota’s counties, except McKenzie, saw a reduction in oil truck traffic in 2015.

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