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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
Z8FM |
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Contract Number: |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
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Response Authority: |
OPA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
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Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
1/18/2015 |
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Start Date: |
1/18/2015 |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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FPN#: |
E15804 |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Transportation-Related: Pipeline Petroleum Spill
1.1.2 Site Description
At approximately 1030 MST on Saturday, January 17, 2015, the Bridger Pipeline controller at the control room in Casper, Wyoming noticed some abnormal pressure readings on the Bridger Pipeline’s Poplar Pipeline, and began to investigate. The pipeline system pressure alarms sounded, and the pipeline was shut down. Bridger Pipeline personnel then attempted to confirm a release and were unable to determine what the problem was, and did not observe any oil releases due to ice cover on the river. A National Response Center (NRC) incident report (#1105930) was filed by Bridger Pipeline LLC at 1430 MST stating that there was a potential release of crude oil into the Yellowstone River. A second NRC incident report (#1105969) was filed at 1012 MST on Sunday, January, 18, 2015, confirming the spill.
This section of the Bridger Poplar Pipeline that was compromised is 12 inches in diameter with a 0.500 inch wall thickness, and is located in the area of the Yellowstone River crossing. There are two block valves on either side of this section of pipeline approximately 6,800 feet apart, and this is where the pressure drop was located. The pipeline fill was approximately 900 barrels of oil at the time of the incident, and an estimated 300 barrels of oil, determined by pipeline metering, were reportedly discharged. The crude oil in the line at the time of the release was primarily Bakken Crude.
The operator’s aerial patrol plane confirmed a sheen on the Yellowstone River in open water approximately 3/4-mile downstream and also at the first intake 8.9 river miles downstream from their pipeline. The quantity of crude oil released has been estimated at between 300 barrels and 1,200 barrels. Based upon the second NRC report (#1105969), and communication with the Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT PHMSA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) immediately mobilized an On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) and contractors to the scene.
1.1.2.1 Location
The section of pipeline where the release occurred crosses the Yellowstone River between two block valves near 47.031667, -104.770833. This is approximately 8.9 river miles upstream of Glendive, Montana, in Dawson County.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Crude oil released into the environment threatens downstream water users, including drinking water suppliers and agriculture, and could impact fish and wildlife along the river. Downriver cities with water intakes are Glendive and Sidney, Montana, and Williston, North Dakota, who have all been notified of the threat to their intakes. At these locations, the intakes are below the surface of the river, but they are monitoring the situation and tracking the response actions.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
Bridger Pipeline LLC (Bridger), CTEH (contractors for Bridger), the EPA OSC, and four START contractors have been working to collect field data regarding river conditions, ice thicknesses, and the presence/absence of sheen or recoverable oil.
On Sunday, an oil sheen was identified 3/4-mile downstream of the Yellowstone River pipeline crossing, and at the Glendive, Montana, surface intake. No sheen was identified at the town of Savage approximately 20 miles downstream, but was reported downstream in open water where there is not an ice sheet near Crane, Montana, which is almost to Sidney and only a couple of miles west of the North Dakota border. Assessment activities are ongoing and being conducted by Bridger Pipeline and its contractors, Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MT DEQ), the EPA Region 8, and the North Dakota Department of Health (ND DOH).
Bridger Pipeline personnel have reviewed their 2010 and 2013 pipeline in-line inspection tool data and have not identified any specific issues or anomalies. Bridger and MT DEQ contacted downstream drinking water utilities to advise them to shut down their intakes.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
The incident objectives are:
1. Provide for life safety for all responders and the public.
2. Sample/Monitor and ensure safety of downstream water intakes including Glendive.
3. Stop the release and determine source and presence of crude oil within vicinity of incident. Take measures to prevent further migration in to the Yellowstone River.
4. Find a downstream location at which to prevent further migration of product.
5. Investigate and identify locations for the reasonable recovery of free product.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
Operational tasks for Unified Command during the January 22, 2015, operational period are as follows:
Drinking Water Decontamination and Supply Operations:
- The Glendive Water Treatment Plant is operational and is drawing water from the Yellowstone River to maintain reservoir levels for emergency firefighting uses and to prevent any loss in distribution system pressure.
- The raw water that is being drawn into the plant is being aerated and subjected to supplementary treatment with charcoal and activated carbon filtration to remove any dissolved or emulsified hydrocarbons.
- Preliminary analysis of treated water samples from the Glendive Water Treatment Plant indicate that decontamination efforts have been effective and concentrations of all previously detected contaminants have decreased to safe levels, including benzene.
- Flushing operations were conducted throughout the water distribution system using hydrants and other large-diameter taps.
- A Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System exemption allowed for treated water containing residual disinfection chlorine to be discharged into storm sewers during the flushing operations.
- Multiple samples were collected from fire hydrants following the flushing operations in each area of the distribution system.
- Samples were analyzed locally by the EPA Region 8 Mobile Analytical Laboratory and splits of the same samples were submitted to Energy Laboratories in Billings, Montana, for confirmation.
- Bacterial screening samples were also collected to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) regulations.
- A public meeting will be held at 1900 this evening at Glendive High School, followed by a media availability session to discuss the operational status of the drinking water system. Guidance will be issued to the community about flushing all municipal system users' systems with the treated water now in the distribution system. Residents will be asked to wait until bacterial sample results (BacT) are received before they drink the water.
- Once samples are received that confirm preliminary results that the system meets or is below the standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act regulations, the Glendive Water Treatment Plant will be issued a certification to operate and the consumption advisory will be lifted.
- The community of Glendive is using approximately 25 pallets worth of bottled drinking water per day, and there are more than 100 pallets of water at the distribution center. Continued shipments are scheduled over the weekend.
- An ATSDR/CDC advisor is sharing analytical data and consulting with the Incident Command Post on exposure assessment for both ingestion and inhalation exposure pathways for the contaminants measured in the water. ATSDR has provided advice and protocols on flushing operations to rid the water system of residual contaminated water.
- There are 4 EPA START contractors and 2 EPA ESAT contractors on site working with the Glendive Public Works staff and over 20 CTEH contract personnel brought in by Bridger to support flushing and drinking water sampling and analysis efforts needed to bring the system back on-line and achieve certification.
Pipeline Operations:
- Bridger ran a second diagnostic tool through the pipeline in an effort to free the first one that became stuck in the area of the rupture. During these operations, an additional 6 barrels of crude oil was recovered from the pipeline, further reducing the estimated volume of the discharge to approximately 954 barrels.
- The remaining fluids in the pipeline will now be recovered by inserting a smaller poly pipe into the other end. This will allow the fluids to be measured to get a better estimate on the volume of crude oil spilled.
- The segment of pipeline between the two block valves and crossing the Yellowstone River will be isolated and capped today by crews from Bridger Pipeline.
Oil Spill Containment and Recovery Operations:
- Crews have completed ice slotting operations in the river at a location 3.3 miles downstream of the spill site and upstream of Glendive, Montana, and the drinking water intake.
- This recovery point will be used to capture and collect oil released from the most contaminated areas of the river before it can migrate further downstream. The success of these operations will determine how recovery efforts proceed in the short term - it may be necessary to redeploy when the spring melt begins.
- Recovery rates at this point will also be used to assess the degree of oiled ice, determine the potential for oil removal, and weigh other possible options for removing the threat of discharge from residual oil near the source.
- Crews are also working to maintain the ice slotting containment structure, referred to as the “backstop,” which is approximately 35 miles downstream near Crane, Montana.
- Reconnaissance crews continue flyovers to spot and characterize sheen in open water areas, and to identify and locate ways to access pockets of trapped oil beneath the ice on the river between the spill site and the backstop near Crane, Montana.
- Crews are working to evaluate the use of absorbent sweeps in the open water where sheen is visible, but this has not been effective to date.
- Four USCG Pacific Strike Team Members are on-site and advising the Federal OSC on field operations and safety.
- OSHA visited the site on 1/21/2015 to assess responder safety and provide support to the spill clean-up actions.
- EPA is investigating a reported contaminate at the City of Williston, North Dakota at their drinking water intake that may be related to the Bridger Pipeline release. The level is well below the SDWA standards.
Environmental Clean-Up Operations:
- Air monitoring and sampling is being conducted at all operational locations, in critical facilities, and around the community.
- Sampling and Analysis Plans are being developed for characterizing the extent of environmental impacts, including surface water quality and soil/sediment impacts.
- The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (MT FWP) have conducted a survey of the pallid sturgeon, an endangered species, in the Yellowstone River downstream of the spill site. MT FWP then issued a press release calling for a fish consumption advisory for the Yellowstone River between the spill site just upstream from Glendive and the North Dakota state line.
- Shoreline assessments and clean-up are planned to support the work being done to develop containment and recovery locations, and the efforts to get the Glendive drinking water system operational and ensure its compliance over the long run.
- No wildlife impacts have been observed/reported to this point.
- USFWS is also working NRDA Pre-Assessment coordination with other resource trustees.
Notifications and Coordination:
- EPA is coordinating with the North Dakota Department of Health to maintain situational awareness of sporadic sheen sightings between Sidney, Montana, and the confluence with the Missouri River. There have not been any since January 19, 2015.
- The City of Williston, North Dakota has been notified of the spill and is continuing to monitor their intakes.
- EPA is actively coordinating with elected officials about the status of the response to the spill.
- EPA has proactively notified and is coordinating with the Three Affiliated Tribes on the Fort Berthold Reservation about the spill.
- Both Bridger Pipeline LLC, EPA, MT DEQ, Dawson County DES, and ATSDR have established spill-specific websites for pushing out information on the response to the media and the public.
- Media interest in the spill is still very high. A Joint Information Center is established and responsive to media inquiries.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
TBD as released oil quantities are determined and oil is recovered from the river.
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
The Unified Command is focused on restoring service at the Glendive Water Treatment Plant, flushing and cleaning the distribution system and storage reservoirs, and regaining certification. Beyond clean drinking water, the Unified Command is working on determining the extent of contamination at the site and preventing further migration of spilled crude. The source of the crude oil has been secured and downstream water users have been notified of the incident. Efforts are underway to protect drinking water resources and recover oil from the environment.
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Drinking Water Flushing Operations
Sampling and Analysis of the Drinking Water System
Continued Ice-Slotting and Recovery Operations at Milepost 3.3
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Conduct sampling to determine the extent of contamination in the Glendive, Montana, drinking water system.
Complete flushing of the Glendive drinking water system and distribution lines.
Address impacts in the immediate vicinity of the rupture location.
Establish a location for installing barriers to continued oil migration.
Assess where collected oil can be recovered, and continue operations.
Address impacts, if any, to the shoreline and environment.
2.2.2 Issues
River conditions and weather are hampering access to the spilled oil. There is extensive ice cover on the Yellowstone River and the ice is not structurally sound enough in many locations to conduct response efforts. Further ice formation is creating flows of smaller chunks of ice and bergs that are hampering the ability to boom the river to prevent further migration.
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2.3 Logistics Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.4 Finance Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.5 Other Command Staff
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2.5.1 Safety Officer
2.5.2 Liaison Officer
2.5.3 Information Officer
The Public Information Officers are responding to requests for information/interviews from the press. A hotline has been set up for the public to get more information: HOTLINE NUMBER - 888-959-8351.
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3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified Command
EPA
MT DEQ
Bridger Pipeline LLC
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
Dawson County DES
MT DES
USFWS
DOI
DOT - PHMSA
ATSDR
USCG NPFC
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4. Personnel On Site
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EPA – OSCs - 3, PIO - 1
START Contractor – 4
USCG - Strike Team – 5, NPFC - 1
ESAT Contractor (Mobile Lab) - 2
ATSDR - 1
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5. Definition of Terms
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START -Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team
USCG - U.S. Coast Guard
PST - Pacific Strike Team
DOI - Department of Interior
DOT-PHMSA - Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
NPFC - National Pollution Fund Center
ESAT - Environmental Services Assistance Team
ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
CDC - Center for Disease Control
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6. Additional sources of information
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6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
www.epaosc.org/BridgerPipeline
http://www.deq.mt.gov/yellowstonespill2015.mcpx
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dawson-County-Disaster-and-Emergency-Services/121882044534578?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal
http://truecompanies.truecos.com/bridger/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://www2.epa.gov/region8/bridger-pipeline-release
Montana Department of Environmental Quality
http://www.deq.mt.gov/yellowstonespill2015.mcpx
Dawson County http://www.dawsoncountymontana.org/
Bridger Pipeline LLC Poplar Response
http://www.poplarresponse.com
CDC/ATSDR
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/yellowstone_river.html
6.2 Reporting Schedule
POLREPs will be completed daily by 5:00PM MST until further notice.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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