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Duchesne Oilfield Dumping Incident epaosc/duchesneoilfielddumping

Duchesne Oilfield Dumping Incident www.epaosc.org/duchesneoilfielddumping. Duchesne, UT September 24 – October 6, 2010 NRC Report 955263 FPN E10814. Key Response Issues. Notification procedures and use of the NRC Knowledge and use of the Green River sACP

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Duchesne Oilfield Dumping Incident epaosc/duchesneoilfielddumping

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  1. Duchesne Oilfield Dumping Incidentwww.epaosc.org/duchesneoilfielddumping Duchesne, UT September 24 – October 6, 2010 NRC Report 955263 FPN E10814

  2. Key Response Issues • Notification procedures and use of the NRC • Knowledge and use of the Green River sACP • Changing Oil Spill Response Organization (OSRO) tactics and priorities to fit response • Pollution Reimbursement Funding Authorization (PRFA) to “save” Duchesne County complicated • Balancing needs of the response with the “rights” of water users downstream • Protecting T&E species and maintaining flows

  3. To Upper Stillwater Reservoir (35 Miles) Starvation Reservoir To Green River (44 Miles) Impacted Areas: Strawberry ~ 1 mile Duchesne ~ 3 miles Duchesne River 25 CFS Strawberry River 135 CFS

  4. Spill Discovery • Discovered by local resident on recreation path • Nearby water filling station for oil production • Duchesne County (DC) FD and Emergency Management notified on 9/24/2010 at 1:30 PM • DC Emergency Manager (EM) notified UDEQ and was given a list of OSROs to contact for support • DC EM ordered OSRO to mobilize and respond under verbal contract • UDEQ, TriCounty Health Department, & Ute Tribe representatives on-scene to size-up incident • DC Sheriff finds evidence of “midnight dumping” of “up to 80bbls of produced water and oil” at ramp

  5. Initial Response & OSRO Escalation • Friday, 9/24/10 – Flow Reduction, Booming • 5 OSRO Personnel, Vacuum Truck, 250’ Boom • $7,500 Response Costs • Saturday, 9/25/10 – Access Points, Booming • 12 OSRO Personnel, 2 Vacuum Trucks, 2 Roll-Offs, 2,000’ Boom • $24,000 Response Costs / $31,500 Cumulative Costs • Sunday, 9/26/10 – Booming & Vacuuming • 13/16 OSRO/Sub Personnel, 2 Vac Trucks, Frac Tank, Excavator, Skid Steer, 2 Roll-Offs, 2,000’ Boom • $32,500 Response Costs / $64,000 Cumulative Costs • Monday, 9/27/10 – Vacuuming & Gross Oil Recovery • 13/32 OSRO/Sub Personnel, 2 Vac Trucks, 2 Frac Tanks, Excavator, Skid Steer, 2 ATVs, 2 Roll-Offs, 2,000’ Boom • $46,000 Response Costs / $110,000 Cumulative Costs • As of 5:00 PM on 9/27/2010: • - No estimate of recovered oil • - 2,000 gal of “oily water” recovered • - 15 bags of crude/oiled substrate recovered • Estimated 4-6 weeks to complete removal • to Red Butte Creek Oil Spill standards

  6. Notification to EPA • UDEQ eMail to EPA Region 8 RRC • Saturday, 9/25/2010 @ 9:26 AM • “Debris, including petroleum products,” • “dumped [from truck] into [Strawberry River],” • “staying in clumps and not [mobile],” • “although booms placed to contain the spill.” • TCHD call to National Response Center • Monday, 9/27/2010 @ 2:30 PM • “~20 bbls of crude oil dumped into Strawberry River” • “impacting 4 mi of Strawberry and Duchesne Rivers” • “OSRO on-scene, but EPA help/resources needed.” • EPA OSC Dispatched to Incident @ 3:05 PM

  7. EPA Initial Response Actions • Initial assessment of impacted river segments confirmed impacted areas and oil properties • Convened UC meeting and worked to prioritize/right-size OSRO oil recovery efforts • Consulted with DOI regarding T&E implications of reduced flows in Duchesne River • Met with BIA and Ute Tribe about their concerns • Considered mobilizing ERRS contractor to subcontract with OSROs • Instead initiated discussions with the NPFC about issuing a PRFA with DC to fund response • Stopped short of “ratification” for initial costs

  8. Removal Effort • Involved primarily physical/mechanical collection of clumps of oil and oiled substrate by crews • Focused on working from impacted Duchesne River toward spill site to expedite restoring flows • Extensive SCAT effort along impacted areas by UDEQ, DC, TCHD, EPA and Ute Tribe • Worked closely with Central Utah Water Conservancy District to “flush” rivers • Recovered ~10-12 bbls of crude oil during 10 days of response, which cost almost $500k • DC still negotiating contract/invoice with OSRO

  9. 30 CFS 300 CFS

  10. Lessons Learned & Recommendations • Utilize NRC as “one call” phone number for Oil and HazMat spills; legally enforce compliance • Cleaning up spills is our business; developing novel contracting mechanisms isn’t • Discourage independent initiative and educate EMs about the inherent liability in spill response that is inconsistent with the NCP • Conduct outreach in oil production areas, emphasizing costs/benefits of compliance • Reinvigorate sACP updating and exercises in all nine Region 8 sACPs, beginning with Green River, Colorado River, and Missouri River

  11. Google Earth File

  12. “Thank you for your support!” Questions? Criticism? Outreach Ideas? General Harassment? Contact me… Steven Merritt On-Scene Coordinator Merritt.Steven@epa.gov 303-312-6146

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