DECEMBER 11, 2015--On December 8, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a study, Spills of Diluted Bitumen from Pipelines: A Comparative Study of Environmental Fate, Effects and Response.

The report recommends the U.S. Department of Transportation strengthen measures to prepare for accidental spills of diluted bitumen from pipelines.

The press release states, “Bitumen is a heavy and dense crude oil that is extracted from tar sands in Canada. It is mixed with lighter oils and transported through pipelines in this diluted form. Diluted bitumen has been transported by pipeline in the U.S. for more than 40 years, but the amount has increased recently as a result of improved extraction technologies and production and exportation by Canada. Both new and existing pipelines are being proposed and developed to accommodate this increased production.”
OR&R staff, including Steve Lehmann, Gary Shigenaka, Jordan Stout, and Dave Westerholm all contributed to the report.

For further information, contact Kate.Clark@noaa.gov.

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