U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Bridger Pipeline Release - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VIII
Subject: POLREP #5
Water System Cleared, Public Meeting, and Ice Slotting Outcomes
Bridger Pipeline Release

Glendive, MT
Latitude: 47.0316670 Longitude: -104.7708330

To: David Ostrander, EPA
From: Paul Peronard, On-Scene Coordinator
Date: 1/23/2015
Reporting Period: 1/22/2015 - 1/23/2015

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: Z8FM    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: 1/18/2015    Start Date: 1/18/2015
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#: E15804    Reimbursable Account #:

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 (Bridger) 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.

The 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 it 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. 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. The quantity of crude oil released has been estimated at between 300 barrels and 1,200 barrels.

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 6.25 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, 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, January 18, 2015, 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 of the spill site.  Further downstream, where there is not an ice sheet, there were observations of sheen near Crane, Montana.  ND DOH sent spotters to look for oil sheen between Sidney, MT and the confluence with the Missouri River.  Assessment activities are ongoing and being conducted by Bridger and its contractors, Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MT DEQ), the EPA Region 8, and the ND DOH.  Bridger and MT DEQ contacted downstream drinking water utilities to advise them to shut down their intakes.
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    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 23, 2015, operational period are as follows:

Drinking Water System Operations:

Glendive, Montana
  • The Glendive Water Treatment Plant is operational and providing drinking water to all municipal water users. The "do not drink" advisory has been lifted. Water samples that were concurrently analyzed by the EPA Region 8 Mobile Analytical Laboratory and Energy Laboratories in Billings, Montana, confirmed compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) standards, including bacterial (BacT) screening samples.
  • The raw water that is being drawn into the plant is not currently being aerated but air stripping can be used in the future as a contingency if needed.  Currently, water is subjected to supplementary treatment with charcoal and activated carbon filtration to remove any dissolved or emulsified hydrocarbons. Samples from the river water intake on Jan. 23rd show volatile organic compound (VOC) levels to be well below instrument detection limits.
  • A public meeting was held at 1900 on January 23, 2015, at Dawson County High School, followed by a media availability session to discuss the operational status of the drinking water system. The Unified Command issued guidance to the community on flushing all municipal users' pipes with the treated water now in the distribution system. Residents were asked to wait until the BacT sampling data was received before they drink the water. 
  • Bottled drinking water will still be available to the community of Glendive through 1600 on Jan. 23.

Williston, North Dakota

  • An EPA team is coordinating with ND DOH in Williston, North Dakota, today to incorporate previously collected sampling data and confirm transport of them to the EPA Region 8 Mobile Analytical Laboratory and a lab in Bismark, North Dakota.
  • Four water samples were collected at the Williston, North Dakota, drinking water intake, and all were below the SDWA Maximum Containment Levels (MCLs).

New Town, North Dakota

  • EPA and ND DOH are supporting intake sampling at the Four Bears Water Treatment Plant in New Town, North Dakota, on the Fort Berthold Reservation. Initial results indicate that the VOC concentrations are all well below MCLs. Regular water sampling will continue to monitor for any elevated VOC concentrations. 

Pipeline Operations:

  • The remaining fluids in the pipeline continue to be recovered and are being measured to get a better estimate of the volume of crude oil spilled.
  • The segment of pipeline crossing the Yellowstone River between the two block valves has been isolated and capped, and is being monitored by crews from Bridger.

 Oil Spill Containment and Recovery Operations:

  • SWAT Consulting, Inc. from Alberta, Canada, was brought in to share their expertise in cold water oil spill containment and recovery. The team is considered to be a leaders in its field.
  • Crews working on oil recovery at the ice slot in the river at a milepost 3.3 miles downstream of the spill site have recovered no oil.  Because of ice breaking as a result of warm weather, no ice slot will be established at milepost 6.1. Short term recovery efforts will be disrupted by the weather.  It may be necessary to redeploy when the spring melt begins. Unified Command is working on a plan to have someone monitor the ice melt and notify the Unified Command for future response efforts.

  • Submersibles and divers are being considered for assessing conditions below the ice and around the pipeline. Safety concerns will take precedence.

  • 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.
  • The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been asked to conduct spill trajectory modeling to determine the reach of the oil plume downstream of the spill site into North Dakota. 
  • 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.
  • Crews are no longer conducting absorbent sweeps in the open water where sheen is visible, but this has not been effective to date.
  • Four US Coast Guard (USCG) Pacific Strike Team Members are on-site and advising the Federal OSC on field operations and safety.

Environmental Clean-Up Operations:

  • Sampling and Analysis Plans are being implemented to characterize the extent of environmental impacts, including surface water quality and soil/sediment impacts.
  • Shoreline assessments and clean-up are planned to support the work being done to develop containment and recovery locations.
  • No wildlife impacts have been observed/reported up to this point.

Notifications and Coordination:

  • EPA is coordinating with the North Dakota Department of Health (ND DOH) 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.  
  • 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.
  • Bridger, EPA, MT DEQ, Dawson County Disaster and Emergency Services (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 (JIC) has been established and is responding 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.
  2.2 Planning Section
   

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Continue coordination with the Glendive WTP and support water pipe flushing
Coordinate with ND DOH and Three Affiliated Tribes on water system sampling 
Continue ice-slotting and recovery operations at milepost 3.3
Assess alternative oil recovery options and plan for the break up of ice sheets 
Address impacts, if any, to fish and wildlife, and the environment
Continue monitoring and coordination for any issues at other downstream water utilities

2.2.1.2 Issues

River conditions 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.

  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
    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.
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command

EPA
MT DEQ
Bridger Pipeline LLC

3.2 Cooperating Agencies

Dawson County DES
MT DES
MT DNRC
USFWS
DOI
DOT - PHMSA
ATSDR
USCG NPFC
4. Personnel On Site
  EPA – OSCs - 3,
PIO - 1
START Contractor – 2
USCG  - Strike Team – 5,
NPFC - 1 
ESAT Contractor (Mobile Lab) - 2
5. Definition of Terms
  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
OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration
6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report

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

The next POLREP will be issued on Monday, January 26, 2015.
7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.