U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Smith Bridge Road Oil Spill - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IV
Subject: POLREP #1
Initial and Final - Smith Bridge Oil Well Plugged
Smith Bridge Road Oil Spill

Easton, KY
Latitude: 37.7089730 Longitude: -86.7213470

To:
From: Perry Gaughan, On Scene Coordinator
Date: 9/18/2012
Reporting Period: May 2011 thru June 11, 2011

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: Z4U4    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: OPA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 5/11/2011    Start Date: 5/11/2011
Demob Date: 6/11/2011    Completion Date: 6/11/2011
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#: E11413    Reimbursable Account #: Z4U4

1.1.1 Incident Category

Emergency Response - Oil Release (OPA). Funding to contain the release was obtained from NPFC under the OSC's warrant authority.

1.1.2 Site Description

Farmland containing at least eight abandoned oil wells along Smith Bridge Road, west of Easton, Ohio County, Kentucky.

1.1.2.1 Location

This abandoned oil well was identified as Preston Mathews Lease #D by Kentucky Oil and Gas Greg Welch. This well was approx 150 yards from Smith Bridge Road.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

On Wednesday evening, May 11th, Kentucky Oil and Gas' Greg Welch informed the OSC of an actively leaking abandoned oil well along Smith Bridge Road two miles west of Easton, Kentucky. Upon inspection, the OSC found that approximately 2-5 barrels of crude oil had impacted a small marsh area immediately downgradient from the well but the crude had not entered a drainage ditch along Smith Bridge Road. The abandoned well is located approximately 150 yards from the South Fork of Panther Creek in Hancock County. Funding from NPFC was obtained and ERRs contractors were on site to contain the spill.


1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

On Thursday, May 12th, ERRs (WRS Inc.) mobed a mini-excavator to the well location and dug a retention pit around the well to contain the spill. The well was actively leaking approx 2-5 barrels of oil per day along with natural gas. The OSC tasked ERRs to plug this abandoned well when appropriate during the ongoing Easton Area D well plugging operations approx two miles to the east of this location.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

On Thursday, June 2, ERRs relocated the subcontractors (Barnett and Smith) oil well service rig from the Easton Area D location to this well. The well was opened and 65 feet of two inch production tubing was pulled from the eight inch surface casing. Next the ERRs crew introduced 70 feet of two inch tubing with a swedge onto the surface casing and then introduced 198 feet of one inch tubing inside the two inch in order to begin well wash down. The crew began washing down the well removing residual oil, debris and scale and noted a substantial amount of natural gas coming from the well once bottom was reached. 

Throughout Friday, June 3rd, subcontractors and ERRs continued the well wash down again noting a significant amount of natural gas off-gassing. ERRs continued monitoring air levels during these operations for worker protection. The decision was made to simply let the well off-gas throughout the weekend and conduct cementing on Monday. ERRs began preparing for cementing operations for Monday, June 6.

On Monday, June 6th,  Barnett and Smith with the ERRs crew began mixing cement (100 sacks), 2 bags of calcium chloride and pumping mixture through the pump truck into the inserted 1” tubing to the bottom of the well casing and circulated to ground surface.  After the well had been plugged the crews worked on cleaning all pumping equipment and began working on relocating all drilling and pumping equipment back to the Easton Area D project site.

On Tuesday, June 7th, the ERRs crew began working on restoring the area around the well. Using the mini-excavator the crew excavated the well casing to a depth of approximately 5’ and the well casing was cut off. The crew then backfilled and graded the work area surrounding the well including the well borehole. 

The ERRs crew continued working on restoring the entire work area and all oil impacted areas on the property surrounding the well.  A burial pit was excavated and any and all areas (soil & vegetation) impacted with oil was scraped and placed in the bottom of the pit with lime and straw to enhance biodegradation and the pit was backfilled.  The entire disturbed area was graded out to allow rain to flow without pooling. The project site was closed and secured.  



2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

No further actions are anticipated by the OSC. KDEP's Greg Welch will continue to monitor the other seven abandoned wells of the former Preston Mathews lease along Smith Bridge Road.

2.2.2 Issues
  2.3 Logistics Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.5 Other Command Staff
    No information available at this time.
3. Participating Entities
  No information available at this time.
4. Personnel On Site
  No information available at this time.
5. Definition of Terms
  No information available at this time.
6. Additional sources of information
  No information available at this time.
7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.