Site Location
The Thor Max Operating, Inc.-Grey-Hickey abandoned oil production facility (EPA ID 09-E-1150) was referred to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on September 1, 2007 by the State of Louisiana to be considered for Oil Pollution Act (OPA) response actions. This facility is located in the Longwood Oil and Gas Field (Field ID: 6220), approximately 6.4 miles northwest of Greenwood, in Section 030, Township 18 North, Range 16 West (Sec. 030, T18N, R16W) of Caddo Parish, Louisiana. The facility is accessed from the north via unnamed oil field roads that are off of Masters Road.
Site Description
The facility consists of two above ground storage tanks (AST), one heater treater (HT), one secondary containment area (CONT), and ten production wells located at one potential spill source (Source 1).
The facility serviced ten production wells, identified as the Grey-Hickey Well No. 001, (SN 172651); Grey-Hickey Well No. 002, (SN 173137); Grey-Hickey Well No. 003, (SN 173206); Grey-Hickey Well No. 004, (SN 173207); Grey-Hickey Well No. 005, (SN 173318); Grey-Hickey Well No. 006, (SN 173319); Grey-Hickey Well No. 007, (SN 175392); Grey-Hickey Well No. 008, (SN 175393); Grey-Hickey Well No. 009, (SN 175394); and Grey-Hickey Well No. 010, (SN 175395). The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR) records list all of these wells as orphaned.
Source 1 consists of two bolted-steel tanks, identified as AST1 and AST2, and a welded-steel heater treater, identified as HT1, located in a roughly-rectangular 105-foot by 52-foot breached and eroded, earthen-bermed, secondary containment area identified as CONT1.
Based on gauging, thermal and acoustic differentials, and surface soil, core, and field observations, the following volumes of non-hazardous oilfield waste (NOW) were estimated to be present at Source 1 of the facility. AST1 and AST2 contain a total of 121.5 barrels (bbl) of oil and oil emulsion. HT1 is estimated to contain an additional 11.2 bbl of oil emulsion based on thermal imaging and acoustic differentials. The contents of these containers were documented as NOW. In addition, CONT 1 has 1.9 bbl of pooled oil and 38.4 cubic yards (yd3) of oil-saturated/heavily oil-stained soil.
Previous Actions
The EPA Region 6 Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) conducted a reconnaissance of the facility on October 26, 2007 to determine if this facility meets the revised Region 6 substantial threat criteria. The FOSC has determined from his reconnaissance that Source 1 of this facility meets the criteria for proceeding with a Site Assessment (SA) (See. Minimum Threshold Checklist attached at the website for this facility).
The SA and Enforcement Summary reports contain legally defensible field data that objectively quantifies and verifies the findings of substantial threat by the FOSC, and the enforcement/administrative support necessary to build the administrative record and a cost recovery case for the site. These actions are consistent with the criteria found in the U.S.C.G. National Pollution Fund Center (NPFC) Users Guide, July 2002.
A Notice of Federal Interest (NOFI) was sent on April 30, 2008 to Gary Dolberry of Thor-Max Operating Company. The notice was returned unopened and marked “undeliverable as addressed, no forwarding order on file.” As a result, the EPA FOSC will proceed with the removal action for this abandoned facility.
A FPN Ceiling increase of $151,238.00 is requested.
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