Central Minnesota pipeline leaks 210,000 gallons of crude oil; cleanup under way

Minn. pipeline spills 210,000 gallons of oil

STAPLES, Minn. — A pipeline has spilled at least 210,000 gallons of crude oil in central Minnesota, state officials say.

Officials from state and federal pipeline safety agencies were working to contain the spill near Staples, which was discovered about 6:30 a.m. Friday.

The Star Tribune of Minneapolis reports the spill came from a pipeline connecting a pumping station with a refinery in Rosemount, which was shut down immediately.

Kristine Chapin with the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety says there’s no sign the oil has reached nearby waterways. The leak occurred in a rural area outside Staples, about 130 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

Chapin says workers had been repairing the pipeline, but it wasn’t clear if the repair work was connected to the spill.

Information from: Star Tribune, www.startribune.com