Another Biden-Era Energy Disaster: Keystone Pipeline Ruptures While XL Extension Remains Shuttered by Presidential Decree
The Keystone pipeline, a critical artery for North American energy independence, suffered yet another shutdown this week after a rupture in North Dakota. An employee at a pump station heard what was described as a “mechanical bang,” prompting immediate shutdown procedures while crude oil leaked into a nearby agricultural field. This marks the fourth significant incident for the pipeline since 2017, occurring against the backdrop of the Biden administration’s continued blockade of the Keystone XL extension—a project that would have created over 42,000 jobs and contributed billions to our economy. Once again, America’s energy infrastructure suffers while bureaucrats ignore commonsense solutions.
A Pipeline Ruptures, Energy Security Bleeds
On Tuesday morning, while most Americans were going about their business, our energy infrastructure took another hit. The Keystone pipeline, which transports approximately 624,000 barrels of Canadian crude oil daily to U.S. refineries, was forced to shut down after employees reported a “mechanical bang” at a pump station in North Dakota. Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, confirmed the incident occurred near Fort Ransom at milepost 171, releasing an undetermined amount of crude oil into a farmer’s field.
South Bow, the company that took over management of the pipeline in 2024, detected a pressure drop in their system and immediately initiated shutdown procedures. Unlike the catastrophic environmental disasters the green lobby constantly warns about, this spill was quickly contained. No people or structures were harmed, and nearby waterways remained unaffected. But that won’t stop the anti-fossil fuel crowd from using this as ammunition in their crusade against American energy independence.
Reports of an oil spill and a mechanical “bang” forced the shutdown of the North Dakota’s Keystone Pipeline on the morning of Tuesday, April 8.
Authorities detected a pressure drop at 7:42 a.m. local time, according to South Bow, the company responsible for the pipelines… pic.twitter.com/Ldo9EfNHxQ— CGTN America (@cgtnamerica) April 8, 2025
The Pipeline Biden Killed Would Have Prevented This
Here’s what the mainstream media won’t tell you: The Keystone XL expansion that Biden canceled on his first day in office would have created a more modern, safer route for oil transportation. Instead of upgrading our energy infrastructure, the administration opted to kill a project that would have supported approximately 42,100 jobs and contributed $3.4 billion to the U.S. GDP. But who needs jobs and economic growth when you can virtue signal to climate activists, right?
The irony is painful. While Biden blocks a state-of-the-art pipeline expansion, the aging infrastructure we’re forced to rely on continues to experience failures. It’s like refusing to buy a new car with modern safety features while your old jalopy breaks down repeatedly on the highway. But this isn’t just any commodity—it’s the lifeblood of our economy, the fuel that powers American industry, transportation, and daily life.
The Keystone oil pipeline has been shut down after it ruptured in southeastern North Dakota, halting the flow of thousands of gallons of crude oil from Canada to U.S. refineries. https://t.co/ybde3QipXx
— The Bismarck Tribune (@bistrib) April 8, 2025
Economic Carnage of Biden’s Keystone XL Cancellation
Let’s talk dollars and cents. The 2014 analysis of Keystone XL projected it would generate $55.6 million in annual property tax revenue across Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska. That’s money that would have gone to schools, hospitals, and local infrastructure. Instead, these communities lose out while oil continues to flow through older, potentially more vulnerable pipelines—or worse, by rail and truck, which have higher accident rates and larger carbon footprints.
Former President Trump, who approved Keystone XL before Biden killed it, has repeatedly called for its completion. Canadian officials were equally dismayed by Biden’s decision, recognizing it as political theater rather than sound energy policy. Meanwhile, America remains dependent on foreign oil from less-than-friendly nations, while the administration begs OPEC to increase production instead of leveraging the abundant resources right here in North America. This isn’t just bad policy—it’s energy masochism.
The Reality of Pipeline Transportation
Despite what environmental activists claim, pipelines remain the safest, most efficient method of transporting oil. The Keystone pipeline, completed in 2010 at a cost of $5.2 billion, has moved billions of barrels of oil with relatively few incidents. Yes, there have been spills—the largest occurred in 2022 in Kansas—but these pale in comparison to the environmental costs of alternative transportation methods. Yet the Biden administration continues to wage war on pipelines while ignoring these realities.
As Americans struggle with inflation and high energy costs, the administration’s refusal to reconsider Keystone XL becomes increasingly indefensible. When the next rupture occurs, or when energy prices spike again, remember that solutions were available. They were simply rejected by ideologues who put their climate agenda ahead of American prosperity and energy security. The pain at the pump and the environmental risks of outdated infrastructure are the direct result of decisions made in Washington, not by the energy companies working to keep America powered.
