Over the past 4-5 years, movement of Bakken Crude and Alberta tar sands products by rail across the Northwest and California has increased dramatically. In Washington alone, crude movement by rail has gone from negligible volumes in 2010, to an estimated 17 million barrels in 2013, to over 50 million barrels in 2016.

To better understand where and how this material is moving, the Task Force created a map of crude movement across the Western States. We also included those pipeline and barge routes that are involved in transporting the Bakken and Alberta tar sand products at this time.

The map provides the Task Force jurisdictions and stakeholders a snapshot of where crude is currently moving. It can be used to identify areas of high risk for rail spills across the region, and help target preparedness and response planning efforts for this rapidly growing inland crude movement. The map was updated in early 2017.

View the Crude Volume Data document here.

Graph 1: Percent total annual volume by transportation mode (2016). Click to view larger image.

 

Graph 2: Annual volume by transportation mode and jurisdiction (2016). Click to view larger image.

Graph 3: Annual volume by transportation mode and jurisdiction (2016). Click to view larger image.

Graph 4: Total annual volume by transportation mode (2014-2015-2016)