MANDAREE – About 79,800 gallons of produced water released from a buried pipeline impacted pastureland in Dunn County.

Produced water, or brine, is a byproduct of oil and gas production.

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) was notified of the release on April 25. The pipeline is operated by XTO Energy. The release is believed to have been caused by the installation of an electrical line, according to a news release.

The incident occurred 27 miles southwest of Mandaree. At that time when the spill was reported, the amount of produced water released was unknown. The updated volume was reported May 6.

Personnel from NDDEQ have inspected the site and will continue to monitor the investigation and remediation, according to the news release.