BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The state Department of Health says a pipeline that leaked about 21,000 gallons of saltwater in northwest North Dakota has impacted a nearby wetland.
The pipeline owned by Oasis Petroleum LLC leaked approximately 500 barrels of saltwater, or brine, about 11 miles northwest of Powers Lake. The health department says 475 barrels of the spill have been recovered.
It's unclear how much of the nearby wetland has been impacted.
The health department is on site and says it is providing oversight of the cleanup. The North Dakota Oil and Gas Division has also been at the cleanup.
Brine is an unwanted byproduct of oil production and is considered an environmental hazard by the state. It is many times saltier than sea water and can easily kill vegetation exposed to it.