U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT Elliott #4 Well - Removal Polrep Final Removal Polrep UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Region III
Subject:	POLREP #2 Final Polrep/Completion of the Removal Action Elliott #4 Well Belmont, WV Latitude: 39.3761707 Longitude: -81.1416691
To:
From:	Robert Kelly, OSC
Date:	6/8/2012
Reporting Period:	through June 8, 2012
1. Introduction   1.1 Background     Site Number: Z3LL    Contract Number:   D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:   Response Authority: OPA    Response Type: Time-Critical Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action NPL Status:    Operable Unit: Mobilization Date: 4/16/2012    Start Date: 4/16/2012 Demob Date: 4/26/2012    Completion Date: 4/26/2012 CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID: ERNS No.:    State Notification: FPN#: E12301    Reimbursable Account #: 1.1.1 Incident Category Oil Pollution Act 1.1.2 Site Description 1.1.2.1 Location Well is located within 50 feet of Calf Run in Belmont, WV. Calf Run is a tributary that leads into the Ohio River. 1.1.2.2 Description of Threat This well is actively leaking oil and may very well continue to leak unknown number of barrels of oil into Calf Run which leads to the Ohio RIver 1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) Office of Gas and Oil Inspectors conducted an inspection of the abandoned well and requested assistance from US EPA Region 3 in providing funding to address the plugging of the well. After receiving documentation of the condition of the well, specifically the WVDEP Abandoned Well Report, the OSC determined that an inspection of the well is warranted to determine if there is a substantial threat of discharge in the Ohio River. 2. Current Activities   2.1 Operations Section     2.1.1 Narrative On Tuesday, November 1, OSC Cruz and WVDEP Inspector Gilbert mobilized to the Site. OSC Cruz conducted an inspection of the abandoned oil well. The portion of the well that remains is nearly flush to the surrounding soil. It appears that there was a prior attempt to plug the well with a wooden post. Currently, the wooden plug is in poor condition. At the time of the inspection, oil was actively leaking from the well, past the wooden plug and onto the surrounding soil. Soil in an approximate 1 foot radius appeared to be saturated with oil. Soil at a depth of approximately 3 inches appeared to also be saturated with oil. The location of the well is nearly 10 yards from the base of a very steep hill and the well is uphill of Calf Run, which flows directly into the Ohio River. Based on the well's location and active oil discharge, the OSC determined that there was an imminent threat of oil discharge from the well. WVDEP Office of Oil and Gas has taken defensive actions at the site. The Region III OSC has opened the fund in the amount of $60,000 to address the plugging of the well and provide oversight as well as perform a PRP search.  A PRFA was issued to WVDEP in the amount of $49,000. 2.1.2 Response Actions to Date On April 16, 2012, WVDEP and its contractor mobilized personnel and equipment to the Site.  An access road was constructed.  The contractor installed conductor pipe and rigged up on the well.  A bridge was measured at 89 feet.  An impression block was run which indicated no sign of tubing.  The contractor drilled on the wooden plug and recovered wood and clay from the wellbore.  The contractor reached a depth of 115 feet by April 19, 2012.  During the week of April 23, 2012, the contractor continued to drill on the wooden plug and reached the T.D. of the well at 155 feet.  The contractor constructed a plugging pit and cut the 5-inch pipe at 80 feet.  The cement plug was set with 35 sacks, and the 80-feet section of the 5-inch pipe was pulled from the wellbore.  A total of six barrels of plugging fluids, containing approximately 1.5 barrels of oil, were circulated from the wellbore.  The well monument was set on April 24, 2012.  On April 25, 2012, the monument was topped off and the contractor rigged down.  On April 26, 2012, reclamation was completed, the plugging fluids/oil were hauled off Site for disposal, and all equipment was demobilized from the Site. START conducted Site visits on April 17 and 18, 2012, to document the Removal Action, correspond with WVDEP, and report the progress of the Removal Action to the OSC.  The following week, the OSC and START conducted a Site visit on April 23, 2012, to observe operations, document the Removal Action, and correspond with WVDEP. 2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) WVDEP and START conducted a PRP search at the Pleasants County Courthouse, located in St. Mary's, WV.  Mineral rights were traced back to 1890.  Through research, it could not be determined who drilled this oil well, nor who abandoned it.  Therefore, a PRP for the abandonment of this leaking oil well could not be determined.  All documentation related to this PRP search is included in the After Action Report for the Site. 2.1.4 Progress Metrics Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal  oil/plugging fluids liquid 6 barrels     X                           2.2 Planning Section     2.2.1 Anticipated Activities 2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities All response activities are completed at the Site. 2.2.1.2 Next Steps The After Action Report will be submitted to the USCG for WVDEP reimbursement of funds expended during this Removal Action. 2.2.2 Issues All issues at the Site have been addressed.   2.3 Logistics Section     Not applicable   2.4 Finance Section     No information available at this time.   2.5 Other Command Staff     2.5.1 Safety Officer WVDEP Inspector acted as Safety Officer throughout the duration of the Removal Action. 2.5.2 Liaison Officer Not applicable 2.5.3 Information Officer Not applicable 3. Participating Entities   3.1 Unified Command Not applicable 3.2 Cooperating Agencies WVDEP US EPA Region III 4. Personnel On Site   WVDEP - 1 WVDEP's Contractor - 4 EPA - 1 (April 23, 2012) START - 1 (April 17, 18, and 23, 2012) 5. Definition of Terms   WVDEP                           West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection OSLTF                             Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund CANAPS                          Ceiling And Number Assignment Processing System OSC                                On-Scene Coordinator POLREP/SITREP             Pollution Report/Situation Report OPA                                Oil Pollution Act FPN                                 Federal Project Number PRFA                              Pollution Removal Funding Authorization SOW                               Statement of Work START                             Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team 6. Additional sources of information   6.1 Internet location of additional information/report www.epaosc.net/elloicott 2 Reporting Schedule POLREP/SITREPs were generated as work progressed. 7. Situational Reference Materials   No information available at this time.