BP fixing leak from inactive Munster pipelines

The strange smell and oil sheen in Munster’s Cobblestones neighborhood continues to be an annoyance, but the Munster and BP emergency crews said Wednesday they fixed the issue with two inactive BP pipelines.

A Munster Fire Department social media release said that BP response crews secured the source of the oil sheen detected in a Munster stormwater catch basin. The team will fix the affected section of the stormwater system, and it was to finish backfilling the area Thursday.

“We will continue monitoring the stormwater system over the next couple weeks and will have personnel and equipment on site supporting that repair,” the release said. “We expect any remaining odors in the area to dissipate.”

BP said it’ll continue monitoring the air in the area, but it continues to show no elevated readings outside the immediate area. It also notified the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and other governmental agencies, the release said.

“We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate the patience of area residents as we continue operations,” the releasre said. “We ask the public to continue avoiding the immediate area and follow the instructions of on-scene personnel.

“The safety of our responders, the community and the environment remain our highest priority.”

Questions or concerns should be directed to BP Pipeline or the Munster Fire Department at 219-836-6960.

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/28/bp-fixing-leak-from-inactive-munster-pipelines/