Yellowstone River 2011: Silvertip Pipeline Spill

At approximately 11:00 PM on Friday, July 1 a break occurred in a 12-inch pipeline owned by ExxonMobil that resulted in a spill of crude oil into the Yellowstone River approximately 20 miles upstream of Billings, Montana. According to the company’s estimates, 1,000 barrels (42,000 gallons) of oil entered the river, which is in flood stage, before the pipeline was cut off.

ATSDR is supporting state and local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as they work to protect both the health of those who live in the area and the surrounding environment.

Fact Sheets

• Fact Sheet for Community Members - Yellowstone River 2011: Silvertip Pipeline Spill Light Crude Oil and Your Health [PDF, 168 KB]
• Fact Sheet for Health Professionals - Yellowstone River 2011: Silvertip Pipeline Spill Light Crude Oil Information for Health Professionals [PDF, 211 KB]
• Yellowstone River 2011: Silvertip Pipeline Spill Human Health Interim Clinical Guidance [PDF, 399 KB]

Additional Resources

• Montana Oil Spill – Silvertip Pipeline Incident: Response Worker Safety and Health - NIOSH
• EPA responds to the Yellowstone River Oil Spill - EPA
• Montana responds to the Yellowstone River Oil Spill - State of Montana