Oilfield Wastewater Spill Estimate Up, Lengthy Cleanup Ahead

(Ray, ND) — State investigators are estimating the amount of an oilfield wastewater spill in northwestern North Dakota at one-point-four million gallons. The Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Quality says owner Hess Corp reported a leak of produced water on August 15th from a pipeline eight miles north of Ray. Hess updated the spill amount estimate yesterday. The new estimate far exceeds the originally reported 84 hundred gallons.