North Dakota System
Encyclopedia
The North Dakota System is a 950-mile (1530 km) crude oil pipeline
system that collects oil from fields in the Williston Basin
in Montana
and North Dakota
and transports it eastward to the Mandan Refinery in Mandan, North Dakota
and to other pipeline systems that carry oil to other refineries in the Midwest. About 330 miles (530 km) of pipeline are used for collection from oil well
s, and this connects to a 620-mile (1,000 km) main transportation line.
In addition to collecting oil from wells in the United States
, it also connects to a Canadian
pipeline system owned by Enbridge
at North Dakota's border with Saskatchewan
. The American pipeline is owned by Enbridge Energy Partners, LP, an organization partly owned by the Canadian company.
The pipeline's eastern terminus is in Clearbrook, Minnesota
where there is a junction with Enbridge's Lakehead System and the Minnesota Pipeline
(ultimately owned by Koch Industries
).
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
system that collects oil from fields in the Williston Basin
Williston Basin
The Williston Basin is a large intracratonic sedimentary basin in eastern Montana, western North and South Dakota, and southern Saskatchewan known for its rich deposits of petroleum and potash. The basin is a geologic structural basin but not a topographic depression; it is transected by the...
in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
and transports it eastward to the Mandan Refinery in Mandan, North Dakota
Mandan, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.8 per square mile . There were 6,958 housing units at an average density of 683.7 per square mile...
and to other pipeline systems that carry oil to other refineries in the Midwest. About 330 miles (530 km) of pipeline are used for collection from oil well
Oil well
An oil well is a general term for any boring through the earth's surface that is designed to find and acquire petroleum oil hydrocarbons. Usually some natural gas is produced along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce mainly or only gas may be termed a gas well.-History:The earliest...
s, and this connects to a 620-mile (1,000 km) main transportation line.
In addition to collecting oil from wells in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it also connects to a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
pipeline system owned by Enbridge
Enbridge
Enbridge Inc. is a Calgary, Alberta based company focused on three core businesses: crude oil and liquids pipelines, natural gas transportation and distribution, and green energy. The company has approximately 6,000 employees, mostly in Canada and the United States...
at North Dakota's border with Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. The American pipeline is owned by Enbridge Energy Partners, LP, an organization partly owned by the Canadian company.
The pipeline's eastern terminus is in Clearbrook, Minnesota
Clearbrook, Minnesota
Clearbrook is a city in Clearwater County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 518 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
where there is a junction with Enbridge's Lakehead System and the Minnesota Pipeline
Minnesota Pipeline
The Minnesota Pipeline is a crude oil pipeline that runs from Clearbrook, Minnesota southward to the Twin Cities. It is operated by Koch Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of Koch Industries...
(ultimately owned by Koch Industries
Koch Industries
Koch Industries, Inc. , is an American private energy conglomerate based in Wichita, Kansas, with subsidiaries involved in manufacturing, trading and investments. Koch also owns Invista, Georgia-Pacific, Flint Hills Resources, Koch Pipeline, Koch Fertilizer, Koch Minerals and Matador Cattle Company...
).