Up until the end of January, officials didn’t publicize that 45 million to 137 million gallons of crude oil from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields travel through Ohio via rail each week.

The Columbus Dispatch reports Ohio’s dense rail lines  — over 5,300 miles — act as a crossroads between the Bakken and the oil’s destination of East Coast refineries.

Releasing information about the the routes that Bakken oil travels could be a security problem, but it also poses a concern to first responders in the event of an accident. To date, there haven’t been any Bakken oil explosions or fires in Ohio.

Even though Bakken oil requires less refining than other shale oil, it’s highly flammable, prompting concerns, especially after a train hauling Bakken crude in Quebec derailed in 2013, killing 47 people. In February 2013, railroads decided to take voluntary safety measures for oil transportation.

Via: The Columbus Dispatch > Bakken crude oil rolls over Ohio rails