Trans Mountain pipeline leaks at the Sumas Pump Station north of Whatcom County

The Trans Mountain pipeline leaked Saturday, June 13, at the Sumas Pump Station in Abbotsford, B.C., causing an oil spill and temporary shut down.

The pipeline carries about 300,000 barrels of crude oil and fuel over 700 miles across Canada from Alberta to Vancouver daily. Across Washington state, there are about 69 miles of pipeline that deliver oil through Whatcom County to refineries in Ferndale and Anacortes.

The pipeline leaked at the pump station about 10 miles north of Sumas, Wash., in the early hours of Saturday morning, triggering an alarm at the control center according to a press release on the Trans Mountain website.

According to the release, initial estimates show that 940-1,195 barrels of light crude was released and fully contained on Trans Mountain property. The pipeline remained shut down until Sunday afternoon.

The hundreds of barrels of free-standing oil have been recovered and transported to an approved facility for disposal, according to the release.

Trans Mountain has begun an investigation into what caused the spill, drawing an initial conclusion that it was related to a 1-inch fitting on a small diameter piece of pipe that is connected to the mainline.