TC
Energy, the operator of Calgary-based company Keystone Pipeline stated that
they had shut down the oil pipeline in response to a release of oil into a
creek near Steel City, Nebraska.

“We have shut down
the Keystone Pipeline System and mobilized people and equipment in response to
a confirmed release of oil into a creek, approximately 20 miles (approx. 32
kilometers) south of Steele City, NE.” the company said in a statement, adding “The affected segment has been
isolated, and booms deployed to control downstream migration of the release. The
system remains shut down as our crews actively respond and work to contain and
recover the oil.”

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Here are the 4
largest oil spills in history:

Persian Gulf Oil Spill, 1991

The Persian Gulf Oil
Spill, also known as the Gulf War Oil Spill was one of the largest oil spills
recorded in history. Caused during the Gulf War, the spill was done by Iraqi
forces who allegedly began dumping oil into the Persian Gulf in order to stop a
US coalition-led water landing. The spill was estimated to be around 4,000,000
US barrels. The spill is considered an act of environmental terrorism which was
responsible for severe damage to coastline sediments and marine species.

BP Deepwater Horizon Spill, 2010

The Deepwater Horizon
oil spill was an industrial disaster in April 2010 in the Gulf
of Mexico on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. It is considered one of the
largest marine oil spills in the history of the petroleum industry with an
estimated total discharge of 210 million US gallons. The well was sealed in
September 2010 after many failed attempts to contain the flow. The Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill is one of the world’s largest environmental disasters.

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Lakeview Gusher, 1910-1911

The Lakeview Gusher
was a blowout of hydrocarbons from a pressurized oil well in Midway-Sunset Oil
Field, California. It took place in 2010, creating the largest accidental oil
spill in history, lasting over 18 months and releasing almost 9 million barrels
of crude oil. The gusher was brought under control in September 1911. The fact
that the oil field never caught fire was considered a miracle by
researchers.

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Ixtoc 1 Oil Spill, 1979

Ixtoc 1 was a blowout
suffered by an exploratory oil well drilled in the
semi-submersible drilling rig in the Bay of Campeche, Gulf of Mexico. The blowout
resulted in one of the largest oil spills in history, with an estimated spill
of around 140 million US gallons. The spill took almost 10 months to stop
leaking, having a massive impact on the sandy beaches and mangroves around the
area, especially on marine life.