The spill area adjacent to the pipeline has been delineated. It was calculated that 1.93 acres of tundra and frozen lake surface may have been impacted.
Teams have been working to estimate the volume of the spill. Surveyors probed the spill area to determine the oil thickness and verify the extent of the impacted area. This information, along with topographic mapping data, was inputted into a computer program to develop the volume estimate.
The spill is contained by natural and man-made snow berms. Certain berms are being reinforced with ice by the addition of water. Snow and frozen conditions allow for working on the tundra and minimize damage from people, equipment, and oil contamination.
The source of the spill was determined to be a one quarter inch hole in the pipeline at the 6 o'clock position, internal corrosion is the suspected cause of the hole but further investigation is ongoing.
GC2 remains shutdown, BP has applied freeze protection to approximately 230 wells and associated flow lines effected by the shutdown.
Weather: Mostly cloudy with snow flurries, lows about -40F, highs about -20F, southwest winds 10-15 mph with wind chills of -50 to -70F below.
EPA FOSC Jeffry Rodin and one START are on site.
Based on GPS mapping and surveyor calculations, the Unified Command estimates that between 201,000 to 267,000 gallons of crude oil was released. The actual spill volume will be determined only after cleanup is completed and oil that has been collected is measured. To date, crews have recovered 52,920 gallons of oil based on actual measurements of recovered fluids.
The Joint Information Center in Anchorage disbanded but representatives will confer on an as needed basis.
RESPONSE ACTION: Incident response priorities and objectives are
• Ensure all personnel are safe
• Mitigate potential of further release
• Investigate the cause of the spill
• Continue containment of the spill
• Implement a plan to restart the pipeline
Numerous vacuum trucks are currently on-site recovering oil. Oil recovery activities were shutdown during that past day due to extreme weather conditions. Approximately 1,395 bbls (58,590 gallons) of oil/water have been recovered as of 7:00 AM on March 9, 2006.
Site crews are erecting windbreaks and oil recovery operations will resume once the windbreaks are completed. Currently the primary recovery tactic is to use vacuum trucks to pick up pooled oil. A heavy oil pump is being used on the inlet of each vacuum hose to assist in moving the oil.
The volumetric survey was completed on the evening of March 8. Some contaminated snow (140 CY) was removed from the northern edge of the spill area following completion of the survey. Further removal of contaminated snow was delayed on March 9 to allow for completion of a tundra mitigation plan. Wetland specialists (BPXA subcontractors) conducted a site visit on March 9 and are assisting with development of the tundra mitigation plan.
All waste is being handled according to the approved waste handling plan. Recovered fluids in the vacuum trucks continue to be transported to Flow Station 2 (FS-2) and offloaded into a 10,000 barrel (bbl) tank. Soils in the caribou crossing area are being tested for contamination. Contaminated gravel will be taken to a containment area on Drill Site 4. Contaminated snow and ice are being stockpiled at the CC-2A facility. A snow melter will be installed at CC-2A, and melted fluids will be taken to the FS-2 tank for measurement.
Spill volume estimation survey work was completed March 8 and the data was evaluated March 9. The collected survey data was used to create maps to assist in oil recovery and tundra cleanup activities.
Workers installed a 6-foot long bolted-on sleeve over the damaged section of piping on March 9. The sleeve will be welded to the pipe on March 10 providing permanent source control. An impression of the hole was taken and the hole was plugged and patched with gasket material prior to installation of the sleeve. Additional UT testing of the pipeline is occurring adjacent to the repaired section.
A 24-hour cleanup operation is in effect. A total of 60 spill responders, 30 for the day shift and 30 for the night shift, are working in the field-cleanup efforts.
Free liquid oil will continue to be recovered using Vac trucks and viscous oil pumping equipment. Removal of snow and segregation of oiled, contaminated snow are anticipated to continue soon as well.
The remainder of the caribou crossing will be excavated to allow examination of the pipeline. Additional oil contaminated materials may be found in these areas.
Small "Bobcat" style front-end loaders will be used to remove contaminated snow from the spill area.
Assessment of exposed tundra following removal of oil contaminated snow to evaluate methods for mitigating oil-contaminated tundra. Potential tactics for tundra include removal by trimming or excavation, warm water flushing, and in situ burning. Wetlands ecologists will be involved.
The environmental branch is preparing a tundra treatment plan to address long term and final cleanup stages. ADEC representatives and wetlands ecologists are involved.
Procedures for regular inspection of the ice roads created for the response, to verify road integrity, are being prepared.
Frostbite is a concern and BPXA is swapping crews frequently and is providing warm up shacks for workers. With extreme wind chill, ongoing site operations have been hampered for personnel safety reasons.
|
