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Media Advisory UPDATE #2
5 p.m. | April 25
Earlier this afternoon, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release indicating they have been investigating the damaged Magellan pipeline. The Sheriff stated a suspect believed to be responsible for damaging the line has been identified and the matter has been referred to the Lyon County Attorney’s Office for the consideration of charges.
Representatives at the release site remain focused on containment and recovery operations along the drainage ditch. We have made significant progress recovering a high percentage of the available diesel fuel in the drainage ditch, which ultimately flows into the Yellow Medicine River. However, minor remnants of a petroleum sheen have passed through the containment areas along the drainage ditch into the Yellow Medicine River.
We are continuing clean-up operations on the drainage ditch.
Repairs on the affected segment of the 8” pipeline have not yet commenced. Therefore, the segment of Magellan’s pipeline between Wilmar and Marshall, MN will remain out of service. Because Magellan has alternative supply options in the region, we do not expect this incident to cause a shortage of gasoline or diesel in the Marshall area.
We want to sincerely thank representatives with the Cottonwood Fire Department, Marshall Fire Department, Hanley Falls Fire Department, Lyon County Sheriff, Yellow Medicine County Sheriff, Lyon County Emergency Manager and the Yellow Medicine County Emergency Manager for their professional leadership and engagement during this incident.
Any additional updates on this incident will be available at www.magellanlp.com.
Media Advisory UPDATE #1
10 a.m. | April 25
There are approximately 75 representatives including emergency responders, federal, state and local agencies, clean-up experts, excavators and Magellan employees at the release site this morning. The various crews are focused on containing and recovering the diesel fuel which was released from the 8” pipeline near Cottonwood, MN. Our best efforts to contain the fuel in the 10-mile drainage ditch are underway and we are working with regulatory authorities to carefully monitor containment status.
When the incident occurred, we provided an initial conservative report of 1,500 barrels and reported this estimate to regulatory agencies. After additional analysis earlier today, we have reduced the estimated volume of the release to a total of 200 barrels (8,400 gallons).
The cause of the incident remains under investigation. A section of Highway 18 has been temporarily closed to allow necessary equipment to enter and leave the work site. There have been no evacuations but there has been one minor injury associated with a worker on the clean-up response.
Magellan crews are planning to begin additional repair operations on the affected area of the pipeline later today.
Magellan will provide regular updates on this incident which will be available at www.magellanlp.com.
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Refined Petroleum Product Pipeline Release in Lyon County, MN
2 a.m. | April 25
At approximately 8:30 p.m. CDT on Wednesday April 24, operators at Magellan’s pipeline control center observed a pressure drop associated with our 8” refined products pipeline near Cottonwood, MN. Magellan representatives promptly closed valves on the system.
Local emergency responders in Cottonwood were able to confirm that this was a pipeline release. The line contained diesel fuel and was not active at the time of the incident. The fuel was found to be leaking from a small hole in the pipeline, which was stopped at approximately 10:30 p.m. on April 24.
Significant efforts are currently underway to contain the fuel which has entered a drainage ditch and to prevent it from entering lake waters in the area.
The cause of the incident is currently under investigation. All appropriate regulatory agencies were notified.
Magellan representatives are currently working to safely recover the product. There are no injuries, evacuations, or road closures associated with this incident.
Magellan will provide regular updates on this incident which will be available at www.magellanlp.com.
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