Environmentalists on Tuesday disrupted the flow of millions of barrels of crude from Canada to the United States in rare, co-ordinated action that targeted several key pipelines.
Activists in Washington state, Montana, Minnesota and North Dakota were arrested after they cut padlocks and chains and entered remote flow stations to turn off valves in an attempt to stop crude moving through lines that carry as much as 15% of daily U.S. oil consumption.
The group calling itself Climate Direct Action said the action was in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which has protested the construction of a separate $3.7-billion U.S. pipeline carrying oil from North Dakota to the U.S. Gulf Coast over fears of potential damage to sacred land and water supplies.
Officials, pipeline companies and experts say the protesters ran the danger of causing environmental damage themselves by shutting down the lines. Unscheduled shutdowns can lead to a buildup of pressure and cause ruptures or leaks, they said.
A spokesman said the activists had studied for months how to execute the shutdowns safely.
The pipelines carry crude produced from Canada's oilsands to the United States. Environmentalists have fought for years to halt Canadian oilsands production, which some call tarsands, in favour of cleaner energy.
Together, the lines affected can carry up to 2.8 million barrels of oil a day.
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