I'm Sure This Will Help Gas Prices

Administration blocks restart of massive oil pipeline, citing leaks

The Obama administration said Friday that a massive pipeline carrying oil across much of the United States must remain shut down until federal regulators are satisfied that it can operate without future leaks. TransCanada’s Keystone pipeline leaked twice last month, fueling opposition to a pending expansion of the project, which is undergoing a wide-ranging federal review.

The Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a “corrective action order” Friday informing TransCanada that it must take a series of steps before resuming normal operations at the pipeline, which runs from Canada to Oklahoma.

“After evaluating the foregoing preliminary findings of fact, I find that the continued operation of the pipeline without corrective measures would be hazardous to life, property and the environment,” Jeffrey Wiese, PHMSA’s associate administrator for pipeline safety, said in the order.

 And how serious were these leaks?

The company reported a May 7 leak of about 400 barrels in North Dakota, and a leak of about 10 barrels last Sunday in Kansas.

 North Dakota just must be coated with oil... and Kansas?  OMG.

Remember, rising gas prices is OK with President Obama, as long as they rise "gradually"... I guess cutting off a major pipeline from a friendly ally might cause them to rise gradually.