|
|
|
|
Site Number: |
|
|
Contract Number: |
|
|
D.O. Number: |
|
|
Action Memo Date: |
|
|
Response Authority: |
OPA |
|
Response Type: |
Emergency |
|
Response Lead: |
PRP |
|
Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
|
NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
|
Operable Unit: |
|
|
Mobilization Date: |
6/4/2015 |
|
Start Date: |
6/4/2015 |
|
Demob Date: |
6/20/2016 |
|
Completion Date: |
6/20/2016 |
|
CERCLIS ID: |
|
|
RCRIS ID: |
|
|
ERNS No.: |
|
|
State Notification: |
|
|
FPN#: |
E15437 |
|
Reimbursable Account #: |
|
1.1.1 Incident Category
This is an emergency response to a spill of oil to waters of the United States.
1.1.2 Site Description
The Site consists of a production well and impacted waters of the United States. Approximately 20 bbls of oil have been observed in the intermittent creek and the immediately adjacent Tar Creek near Hwy 33. The area is wooded forestland adjacent to several nearby residences.
1.1.2.1 Location
The nearest town is Crosby, MS. The coordinates for the Site are 31.27437N 91.10525W.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Oil has discharged to waters of the United States from a production facility. The initial discharge has been secured.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
An anonymous report to the NRC indicated approximately 20 bbls of crude entered into Tar Creek. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality SOSC confirmed the quantity of oil on the evening of 6/4/2015. (Note - This date was amended on 6/9/2015. Previous POLREPS stated this occurred on 6/5/2015.) The EPA OSC conferred with the SOSC shortly thereafter for a debrief on the situation.
The facility is immediately adjacent to an intermittent creek which enters into Tar Creek, then Foster Creek, then Homochitto River and then the Mississippi River. The distance to the Mississippi River is approximately 50 miles.
Early, and as yet unsubstantiated, information received on-site indicates the spill occurred in mid-May and may be as large as 200 total bbls discharged from the facility and perhaps up to 100 bbls lost to waters of the United States. The OSC will continue the investigation as per the National Contingency Plan.
The PRP was unable to secure the necessary response resources and further action will be conducted by the OSC and SOSC in Unified Command.
|
|
|
|
2.1.1 Response Actions to Date
The EPA OSC and MDEQ SOSC are working under Unified Command to ensure the following priorities:
1. Safety of the public and responders.
2. Protect the environment.
3. Prevent additional migration.
4. Minimize property damage.
5. Facilitate production facility recovery.
6. Maintain public/media confidence.
Unified Command will provide:
1. Adequate environmental response resources of approximately 10 responders to provide mostly hand recovery tactics of booming, herding, padding and debris removal of recoverable oil as well as accessible downstream containment.
2. Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Techniques (SCAT) activities, as needed, to document sensitive ecosystems, threatened and endangered species, extent of impacted waters and recommended response techniques
3. National Incident Management System (NIMS) documentation on an initial 24-hour operational period basis.
4. An approved health and safety plan including as needed air monitoring.
5. An approved waste management plan.
6. An Operation and Maintenance plan once bulk removal of recoverable oil is achieved.
Limits and Constraints:
1. The RP is unable to secure adequate response resources.
2. The terrain makes access difficult. It is dense woodland, requiring primarily manpower driven tactics.
3. Sensitivity to the nearby residences concerning access and use of a narrow public road.
4. Frequent precipitation.
5. Venomous snakes in the impacted area.
The above activities are being funded via a PRFA with MDEQ. The PRFA is approved by the OSC. Verification of activities performed will be conducted by the OSC with assistance from the USCG GST.
6/5/2015 thru 6/8/2015
Additional details concerning the actions taken can be found in the documents section. These documents include SCAT reports, IAPs and response action plans.
With approval of the EPAOSC, the MDEQ SOSC activated a response contractor on 6/4/2015 to mobilize to the response by the morning of 6/5/2015. A crew of approximately 10 response techs worked the impacted intermittent ditch with manual recovery techniques throughout the course of the day on 6/5/2015.
At the end of the day's operations on the 5th, both the operator (Array Operations) and production well owner (Pipeline Oil and Gas Company) agreed to replace the Governments' contractors by the morning of the 6th.
The replacement contractor mobilized required resources on the 6th and subsequently began operations throughout the course of the day. These operations were continued thru the 7th.
The response continues to be manged under Unified Command. The USCG GST continues to support the EPAOSC with field oversight of health and safety as well as verification of contractor progress.
The EPAOSC made notification to the USFS trustee contact on the 7th. Original notification to DOI had taken place via the NRC report. The EPAOSC is also in coordination with State trustees. Plans have been made for the State to conduct a field assessment walkthru of impacted resources and sensitive ecosystems.
Impacts to wildlife have been identified as of the 7th. Both a turtle and a fish have been identified as dead. They have been geolocated and preserved for the trustees.
6/8/2015 thru 6/10/2015
Additional details concerning the actions taken can be found in the
documents section. These documents include SCAT reports, IAPs and
response action plans.
Bulk recovery tactics were executed through the 9th. Transition to the operations and maintenance phase was completed on the 10th. Tactics during the operations and maintenance phase include underflow dam, hard boom locations and absorbants which were maintained as per the Operations and Maintenance Plan found in the documents section.
All wastes generated by the response were managed in accordance with the Waste Management Plan, which can be found in the documents section.
Remediation of the production pad was conducted under the oversight of the MSOGB.
The response continues to be conducted under Unified Command with the USCG GST providing field support.
6/10/2015 till completion
MDEQ SOSC continued oversite of O&M till completion and concurred with FOSC.
2.1.2 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
Originally described as Big River Oil Field Supply, the names of the PRPs have been changed to include Array Operations and Pipeline Oil and Gas Company.
The EPAOSC issued a written Notice of Federal Interest (NOFI) to the Unified Command representative of the PRPs on the 6th. This notice was a followup to the verbal notification that was given by the EPAOSC.
|
