New York (AFP) - Canada's TC Energy has restarted a portion of the Keystone Pipeline, which was shut down last week following a large spill of heavy crude oil in Kansas.
The company on Wednesday night resumed the flow of diluted bitumen, a heavy crude oil, from Hardisty, Alberta to Wood River/Patoka, Illinois, TC Energy said on its website.
The southern portion of the pipeline -- which extends to Texas and includes Washington, Kansas where authorities are attempting to limit the spill's environmental damage -- remains off line.
The restored portion pipeline will operate at "reduced capacity," said TC Energy.
"We continue to progress our response and oil recovery effort," the company said.
TC Energy said it has recovered 3,035 barrels of oil from the creek.The initial estimated spill volume was 14,000 barrels, said an order from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
A total of 414 personnel reported to the oil spill site on Wednesday, including emergency staff from TC Energy and state and federal agencies, according to an Environmental Protection Agency news release.
EPA said that there were four deceased mammals recovered from the site, along with 71 fish.
