Canada's national energy regulator said Thursday that a pipeline operated by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. (KMP) released an unspecified amount of crude oil near the town of Merritt in southwestern British Columbia.

The size of the spill on the TransMountain Pipeline isn't yet known, the National Energy Board said in a statement. It said there is no immediate safety concern for nearby residents, adding that the spill was on government-owned land along the pipeline right-of-way.

A spokesman for Kinder Morgan wasn't immediately available for comment.