Dakota Access pipeline permitted to remain open amid review

Oil

A US District Court judge has ruled that the 570K b/d Dakota Access Oil Pipeline (DAPL) can continue to operate during an ongoing environmental review after a key permit was cancelled in July last year, Argus reports. This review is currently expected to be completed in March 2022, and will decide the future of the near 1200 mile pipeline which transports crude from the Bakken shale basin in North Dakota through to an oil hub in Illinois. The DAPL has faced controversy surrounding its environmental impact since starting commercial use in 2017, with a US Appeals Court denying a request from Dakota Access LLC last month for a rehearing on the initial permit cancellation.