Click each graph to view larger version:
Project Overview
The Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force initiated the crude movement project in 2013 in response to the emerging increase in crude movement by rail across several Task Force jurisdictions. This increase in rail transport represented a new risk for the region, with large volumes of oil moving through the inland areas where spill preparedness and response planning was less developed than for the marine waters. The work group for this project consists of the Task Force Coordinating Committee members across from each of the six jurisdictions: Alaska, California, British Columbia, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.
On-going data collection takes place annually. Our data report contains annual volumes transported by rail, pipeline, vessel, and barge as well as known crude export volumes. This data set includes crude that is transported across state lines, so volumes may be counted more than once (by each jurisdiction). For questions about this project or data set, please contact Meg Harris at meg@vedaenv.com.
Crude Transport by Rail- Over the past 7-8 years, movement of Bakken Crude and Alberta oil sands products by rail has increased across the Northwest. In Washington alone, crude movement by rail has gone from negligible volumes in 2010, to an estimated 17 million barrels in 2013, to 60 million barrels in 2021.
Mapping Crude Movement Routes- To better understand where and how this material is moving, the Task Force maintains a map of crude movement across the Western States. 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 situation. The map was last updated June 2021. Click on the map to enlarge and/or download.
View the 2021 Crude Transport Report here (pdf)
Studies and Reports
- New Oil Train Safety Rules Approved In Oregon (2015)
- Gov. Brown signs rail safety bill into law (2015)
- MN Report: Improvements to Highway-Rail Grade Crossings and Rail Safety (December 2014)
- Washington Marine and Rail Transportation Study – 2015
- Washington Marine and Rail Transportation Study Preliminary Findings and Recommendations Report (October 2014)
- Oregon Preliminary Statewide Rail Safety Review (July 2014)
- 2014 Minnesota Legislation on Rail and Pipeline Safety
- 2014 New York Comprehensive Oil Transportation Safety Study
- Report on Oil by Rail Safety in California (2014)
- Washington 2010 Vessel Traffic Risk Assessment (April 2010)