The EPA dispatched EPA OSC Mike McAteer, and START-3 contractors to an oil spill near Quitman, Texas on July 4, 2010.  Atlas Operating, LLC, a subsidiary of Pioneer Exploration is the Responsible Party (RP).  On July 4, 2010, at approximately 0900 oil was discovered on the ground near the Atlas Operating, LLC Central Battery Number 6 (Also reported as Battery 8 per Texas Railroad Commission).  Local law enforcement and emergency personnel were notified along with the National Response Center (NRC #946531).  At the time of the NRC notification, the PRP could not be reached.  At approximately 1200 on July 4, 2010, an Atlas Operating employee was notified by local law enforcement officials and mobilized to the site to assess the situation and shut down the oil production operation.  According to the Atlas Operating employee, the oil on the ground was due to a ruptured buried gathering line.  The estimated spill volume according to Atlas Operating is 15 barrels.  The oil impacted surface and subsurface soil and had a potential to impact an intermittent creek.  The spill was stopped approximately 700 feet from an intermittent creek which flows into Myrtle Spring Branch which eventually flows into the Sabine River, which eventually flows into the Misissippi River. The NRC was notified on July 4, 2010 (NRC # 946531) at 0900.  A representative from the RRC of Texas was onsite prior to EPA or START-3 arrival.

EPA OSC McAteer arrived onsite at approximately 1345 and the START-3 contractor arrived onsite at approximately 1430 on the afternoon of July 4, 2010.  In addition, prior to EPA or START-3 arrival onsite, Atlas Operating had shut down the flow of the gathering line.  Activities observed by EPA and START-3 included RP personnel utilizing a skid steer and a small wheel loader/back hoe to move soil over to the oil impacted area to begin mixing the soil with the oil.  START-3 and EPA also observed that the oil had migrated on the surface approximately 300 feet east from the original spill location toward the intermittent stream.

The RP will continue to conduct cleanup activities until the spill has been remediated under the supervision of RRC.  The RP continues to dig out the impacted soil including the soil around the ruptured flowline and plans to be complete with this activity by the evening of July 4, 2010.  The contaminated soil will be staged onsite and covered with poly until disposal on July 6, 2010.The RP will dispose of the oil impacted soil under the direction of the RRC.  According to the RP, if a disposal facility can be located, the oil impacted soil may be disposed of on July 6, 2010. 

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Response activities conducted by the RP will be under the direction of the RRC.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

2.2.2 Issues

Additional oil spills have occurred within the last 6 months at this same tank battery.  SPCC inspection was conducted at this tank battery in February, 2010.