Unique Hazards of Tar Sands Oil Spills Confirmed by National Academies of Sciences

A sobering critique of America's pipeline spill response efforts was delivered in a new study released Tuesday, concluding they aren't adequate when it comes to spills involving sludgy crude oil pumped from the Canadian tar sands.

The 144-page report's main message is that the thick type of oil called diluted bitumen, or "dilbit," initially behaves like conventional oil in the first few days following a spill but then quickly degrades, or weathers, into a substance so chemically and physically different that it defies standard spill responses.

The report recommends tailoring spill response plans by oil type, a stark contrast to the reassurances often uttered by energy companies that dilbit doesn't need special regulations.  In recent years, the volume of dilbit coursing through American pipelines has increased steadily, from 250 million barrels in 2013 to 300 million barrels in 2014.

Conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the investigation released Tuesday offers the most comprehensive analysis to date of dilbit spill properties, environmental and health impacts and effectiveness of response methods.

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