GLENDIVE, Mont. — Crews working to clean up crude oil that spilled in and near the Yellowstone River in eastern Montana and prevent it from traveling farther downstream were hampered by ice covering much of the river, officials said Monday.
Officials with Bridger Pipeline LLC of Casper have said the break in the 12-inch steel pipe happened Saturday morning in an area about 9 miles upstream from Glendive, a community in east-central Montana near the North Dakota border.
Bridger spokesman Bill Salvin said Monday that the company is confident that no more than 1,200 barrels — or 50,000 gallons — of oil spilled during the hour-long breach.
An oil sheen has been seen near Sidney, almost 60 river miles downstream from Glendive, said Paul Peronard, the on-scene coordinator for the Environmental Protection Agency.
Booms are being placed in two areas of open water to try to trap oil with another collection site near Crane, 30 miles downstream.
