BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Cleanup of more than 840,000 gallons (699,450 imperial gallons) of oil is complete nearly five years after a pipeline leak in a farmer’s field in North Dakota.
A Tioga farmer discovered the spill by Tesoro, now known as Andeavor, in September 2013. It has been called one of the largest onshore spills in U.S. history.
The San Antonio-based company and the state of North Dakota announced completion of the cleanup on Wednesday.
The company has blamed a lightning strike for the pipeline break.
A state regulator says about 1.4 million tons (1.3 million metric tons) of dirt was excavated from the site and treated. Crews had been working round-the-clock to clean up the site after the spill was discovered.
The company has estimated the cost of the cleanup at $93 million. The state fined the company $454,000 for the spill.
