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On 16 April 2007, Benson Montin Greer Drilling (BMG) notified the National Response Center of a crude oil spill. Approximately 80 bbls of oil was discharged when a heating process tank overflowed. The crude oil flowed over the secondary containment, down an unpaved road and into a dry unnamed arroyo. The arroyo is a tributary of Rio Chama. The incident occurred on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation land in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. EPA mobilized OSC Delgado and its START contractor to the site to conduct on-scene monitoring.
On 16 April 2007, EPA and START mobilized to the site. EPA and START arrived on site at dusk and met with BMG representative Ben Gonzalez. EPA and START observed the spill location at the heating process tank. Gonzalez stated that the valves on the tank were in the closed position, causing the crude oil to backfill the heating process tank and discharge onto the ground. The valves are manual and at present time it is undetermined why the valves were in the closed position. Due to the inadequate secondary containment, the oil flowed over the earthen berm. EPA and START observed fresh soil had been used to add height to the containment wall where the spill occurred. EPA and START followed the spill pathway down the road and into the arroyo. EPA and START observed small pockets of free oil and stained soil along the road and absorbent pads in several locations. The oil flowed approximately 1500 feet to the arroyo and approximately 50 downstream.
BMG and cleanup contractor personnel will continue to recover the oil using absorbent pads, minor excavation (using hand shovels), and propane torches to burn contamination vegetation.
EPA will continue to coordinate with BMG to ensure a proper and timely cleanup.
The incident and spill pathway are located on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation land.
This is the third spill this year by BMG that EPA and START have responded to.
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