GRIFFITH | No cause has been determined for a leak in the Enbridge Energy Partners Lakehead System pipeline that spilled 19,500 barrels of crude oil Monday morning into the Kalamazoo River in southwestern Michigan, coating birds and fish. The origin of the pipeline is in Griffith.
Known as Line 6B, the 30-inch pipeline runs from Enbridge's Griffith facility to Sarnia, Ontario, in Canada and carries about 8 million gallons of crude oil per day. Enbridge estimated 840,000 gallons of oil spilled before the company could stop the flow.
The pipeline began leaking about 9:45 a.m. Monday near the company's pump station at Marshall, Mich., officials at Houston-based Enbridge Energy Partners said. Crude oil was released into Talmadge Creek, which flows northwest into the Kalamazoo River. The spill site is in Calhoun County's Marshall Township, about 60 miles southeast of Grand Rapids.
Enbridge said it had about 200 employees working Tuesday to contain and clean up the spill. The pipeline was shut down, and isolation valves were closed, stopping the source of the oil.
No one was injured, the company said, but authorities evacuated two homes near the leak.
Enbridge is working with regulators and emergency officials. The cause of the spill has not been determined and is being investigated, said Tom Fridel, general manager with Chicago-based Enbridge Liquids Pipelines Co. There's no estimated time for a restart of the line.
Enbridge said crews were dispatched immediately to the site and were deploying oil skimmers and absorbent booms on the creek and river.
"Enbridge is treating this situation as a top priority," said Terrance McGill, president of Enbridge Energy Partnership. "We are bringing all available resources to bear -- ranging from emergency response and containment personnel to environment and water quality specialists."
Authorities in Battle Creek and Emmett Township were warning residents about the strong odor from the oil. As of Tuesday afternoon, oil was reported in about 16 miles of the Kalamazoo River downstream of the spill, said Mary Dettloff, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Enbridge Energy Partners LP owns and operates a portfolio of crude oil and natural gas transportation systems in the United States. Its principal crude oil system's deliveries to refining centers and connected carriers in the United States account for about 12 percent of total U.S. oil imports, according to the company.
U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Mich., said he discussed the spill Tuesday with President Barack Obama at the White House. He called the spill a "public health crisis," and said he plans to hold hearings to examine the response.
"The company was originally slow to respond, and it is now clear that this is an emergency," Schauer told reporters on a conference call.
Emmett Township officials warned the public to stay away from the river until cleanup work is completed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
