Whiting Petroleum Corporation reported Sunday that an oil spill occurred Saturday, November 20th in Mountrail County, North Dakota, USA. The incident happened at the Roggenbuck 14-25H, a horizontal Bakken well which is approximately eight miles northwest of Newtown, North Dakota. The company was in the process of performing completion operations when a valve near the wellhead failed causing oil, water and natural gas to spew from the well.

Whiting Petroleum Corporation has major drilling operations in three states and operates in other states as well. The company immediately ceased operations and evacuated the site. No one was injured. Site operations personnel immediately implemented company safety measures to prevent harm to employees and contractors and to protect the environment.

State and local authorities were notified immediately. A company was then brought in which specializes in controlling oil well incidents of this nature. A lined pit was created on site to collect the discharged liquids.

As of Monday, November 22nd, Whiting estimated that approximately 5630 barrels of water and 420 barrels of oil were hauled to a disposal facility. Whiting officials estimated that the fluids discharge rate from the well had declined to 25% of the initial flow rate. However, 50-70 barrels of liquid per hour continues to flow from the well. The liquid is 90% water and 10% oil.

No Unified Command Center has been established as was the case in the Red Butte Creek oil spill.

For more information, visit Whiting Petroleum Corporation website.