BILLINGS — Workers from the CHS refinery are investigating a sheen in a drainage ditch near Amend Park on King Avenue East.
Workers were spotted Tuesday evening laying multiple tarps across the length of the ditch, about 50 yards apart, behind the U.S. Bureau of Land Management office building.
The Laurel oil refinery operates a pipeline in the area, but company spokeswoman Rebecca Lentz said initial tests do not indicate any leaks. The pipeline has been shut down, she added.
“We were notified Monday afternoon of a sheen on a drainage ditch in the City of Billings. Our initial testing and surveillance have not detected any leaks in our pipeline. We are continuing to investigate the situation. Out of an abundance of caution, we have shut down our pipeline. There are a number of potential sources operated by many companies in the area, and no cause has been identified. We are cooperating fully with local authorities and other companies,” Lentz said in a written statement.
Q2 has reached out to the Billings Public Works Department and Yellowstone County Department of Emergency Management and will update with further information.
This is a developing story.
