On June 22, 2005, an oil spill was discovered in a tributary to the Newhall Creek in Santa Clarita, CA (formly thought to be Placerita Creek). The spill was traced by Los Angeles County Fire to the Petro-Resouces, Inc. (PRI) USL Lease crude oil production field. The release was caused by a landslide that damaged a pipeline from a oil storage tank. The landslide is believed to have resulted as a result of recent siesmic activity in Southern California.
Approximately 1000 gallons of heavy crude (asphalt-like) and an unknown amount of produce water was released. The oil originated from a production field tank. The crude migrated from the pipeline rupture into creek bed at the bottom of a ravine. The ravine is in a coastal sage scrub habitat (Zone 1). According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), this habitat may be the home to the Coastal California Gnatcatcher, a Federally Threatened Species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. The oil followed the creek bed into a 48" diameter subterranean storm drain (Zone 2). The storm drain passes beneath a residential subdivision. The oil continued to migrate through the storm drain through an outfall into a creek bed in a riparian habitat that is a tributary to Newhall Creek (Zone 3). The oil migrated down the creek bed, but did not enter the Newhall Creek. Newhall Creek drains into the Santa Clara River. The Santa Clara River is the home to several Federally Listed endangered species.
The lease/land owner PRI has retained a cleanup contractor and is currently conducting removal operations.
An FOSC and START responded to the spill. A unified command was set up with the California Department of Fish and Game (CADFG) to manage the incident.
Zone 3 is 75% cleaned up with a few isolated islands of contamination remaining. The creek bed had a large amount of dead and oiled foliage removed and transported off-site for disposal. The contaminated soil was removed via hand crews and heavy equipment.
Zone 2 is 50% cleaned. Crews working in the subterean storm drain are manually moving the oil toward a vacuum truck collection hose and then pressure washing the contaminated areas utilizing a degreaser approved by the CADFG. The storm drain outfall box has been completely drained and the oil contaminated runoff is currently be stored in frac tanks on the lease property. Contaminated runoff from the storm drain is being continuouly collected via vacuum truck. During non-working hours, a small crew staffs the vacuum truck. The outfall box will be pressure washed once the storm drain is clean.
Work in Zone 1 began on June 24, 2005 with the removal of vegetation around and in the creek bed. This is expected to continue until June 27, 2005, when heavy equipment and hand crews will begin the remove the oil. Large exposed areas of oil have been covered with visqueen to prevent contamination of wildlife.
On June 24, 2005, at the FOSCs request, an EPA Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) inspector conducted an inspection of the USL lease and an adjacent lease owned by PRI. The SPCC inspection documented numerous deficiencies.
On June 25, 2005, a Order pursuant to Section 311 of the Clean Water Act was issued to PRI. The Order followed up on the directions issued under the Notice of Federal Interest. Also under the Order, PRI was directed to remove all oil from tanks and pipelines that have contributed to the spill or could potentially contribute to a new spill.
1. Removal of islands of contamination in Zone 3 by June 27, 2005.
2. Complete decontamination of Zone 2 by June 28, 2005.
2. Complete removal of contamination in Zone 1 by July 1, 2005.
1. PRI is currenly in violation of a Bureau of Land Mangement Order to remove all equipment from the lease and to mitigate any environmental issues.
2. Removal or decontamination of all tanks and associated piping.
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