The site is a tank battery owned by Clayton Williams Energy, Inc and located on the Nigliazzo-Scarmardo #1 lease in Hearne, Robertson County, Texas at the junction of FM 50 and Watts Lane.
On May 13, the Hearne area received in upwards of 17 inches of rainfall which flooded the area including the tank battery. The spill was identified at 1:55 pm on May 14 and EPA received notification of the spill at approximately 2:30 pm. The original report estimated the volume of the release between 20 and 180 barrels.
At approximately 1800 hrs an overflight was conducted by the RP at which time they identified a sheen located WSW of the tank battery covering an area of 1 mile by 200 feet wide. The sheen appeared to be light with periodic heavy spots. The RP estimated the volume of the sheen as 1 barrel.
The RP hired O'Brien Oil Pollution Services, Inc (OOPS)to coordinate the spill reponse. OOPS hired Garner as the OSRO.
The source has been contained with boom but has not yet been secured as the RP and OSRO are unable to determine the exact origin of the leak due to approximately 4 feet of water covering the tank battery.
The planned actions are to secure the release, and to recover the oil to the extent possible.
The next steps are to secure the release and recover the oil, filling the tank with water to reduce continued release at the bottom of the tank, and surveying the river to locate pockets of oil that could be recovered.
The RP appears to be responding satisfactorily to the release.
The guaging of the tank indicated that a total of approximately 39 barrels of oil was released. This majority of this release was never recovered and nor located in aerial overflights.
|
