Firefighters extinguishing fire to Bakken storage tanks in Alexander, ND

Jan. 2, 2015
Firefighters used a foam truck on Jan. 2 in efforts to extinguish a fire to eight storage tanks at a truck unloading station in Alexander, ND, an Enbridge spokesman told OGJ’s Unconventional Oil & Gas Report. The first was expected to be extinguished on Jan. 2.

Firefighters used a foam truck on Jan. 2 in efforts to extinguish a fire to eight storage tanks at a truck unloading station in Alexander, ND, an Enbridge spokesman told OGJ’s Unconventional Oil & Gas Report. The first was expected to be extinguished on Jan. 2.

The fire involved eight out of 12 crude oil storage tanks at the site. Each tank has a capacity of 400 bbl.

Cause of the fire remains under investigation. The volume in the tanks at the time of the fire was unknown. There was no oil spill and no damage to pipelines although one pipeline was shut briefly as a precaution.

The Emergency Management Services for McKenzie County, ND, responded to the fire. North Dakota is home to the Bakken shale formation that produces more than 1 million b/d.

The truck unloading station belongs to Tidal Energy Marketing LLC, Michael Barnes, a spokesman for Calgary-based Enbridge, told UOGR by phone.

Tidal Energy is an oil marketing company that is an affiliate of Enbridge. Alexander station is used by North Dakota Pipeline Co., an Enbridge subsidiary. North Dakota Pipeline operates an 82-mile system from Plentywood, Mont., to Clearbrook, Minn., the Enbridge web site said.