On May 7, 2008, the EPA was notified of an oil spill in an agricultural area near Patterson, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The farmer was in the vicinity and noted oil in a drainage ditch. The farmer notified local authorities who in turn determined that the responsible party was one of the pipeline companies operating in the area. The officials contacted the multiple companies and upon inspection of the area, it was determined to be a Plains Pipeline operated pipeline which had ruptured. Plains notified the National Response Center and the USCG Morgan City then mobilized an excavator and crew to the area to begin excavating the pipeline and create berms to stem the flow of oil into the drainage ditch. Plains officials activated their spill response organization to mobilize to the scene and begin oil recovery operations.
Plains personnel closed pipeline valves to the north and south of the rupture, lessening the pressure of the pipeline. Excavation crew located the damaged portion of the pipeline and applied a temporary patch to retain the remaining oil in the line. Oil from the ruptured line traveled from the agriculture field approximately 50 feet north where it entered a drainage ditch. The oil flowed northeast approximately 200 feet to a larger ditch, which flowed northwest approximately ¼ of a mile to the edge of the agricultural field. Plains Pipeline and the response crew were able to contain the oil within the drainage ditches with earthen berms and dams. Oil Mop Inc. arrived on site with 13 personnel, vehicles, and oil collection equipment. Plains arranged for two 120 barrel vacuum truck to be delivered to the site to begin collecting oil from the drainage ditch.
Oil Mop Inc. personnel and the vacuum trucks began removing oil from the northern most (downstream) drainage ditch near the containment dams. Crews utilized a surface skimmer and drum skimmer to remove oil from the ditch. Additional crews used adsorbent pads and boom to remove oil from restricted areas and vegetation. Collected oil was delivered to an off site facility operated by Plains for separation and recovery.
The spill area consists of rural agricultural fields currently planted with sugarcane. No residences are within a 1 mile radius of the spill location. No surface or ground water was noted to have been affected by the spill.
On May 7, 2008, EPA representatives mobilized to the incident site to perform oil spill response activities and meet with RP representatives. Plains representatives stated that the source of the spill was found to be a leak from the Plains Pipeline Patterson line and surmised that the rupture was due to corrosion. Representatives provided an explanation of the recovery operations and informed EPA representative that a permanent pipe patch was in route and would be installed the same evening. Plains personnel estimate approximately 200-300 barrels of oil was leaked from the pipeline and had entered the drainage ditches. At the time of the EPA representative’s arrival approximately 7 Oil Mop and 3 Plains Pipeline personnel were on scene.
At 0015 hours on May 8, 2008, the permanent pipeline patch arrived on site. A subcontracted construction crew of 6, removed the temporary patch and installed the permanent patch onto the pipeline, effectively eliminating the leakage of crude oil. A vacuum truck was mobilized to remove the remaining oil from the bottom of the excavated area. Crews will leave the excavation open and pipeline exposed until they are confident that the leak has been corrected and will then apply corrosion protection to the exposed section. Upon completing the patch installation, Plains informed EPA representatives that a reduced crew will remain onsite to maintain the skimmers and operate the vacuum trucks.
Plains will continue to conduct oil spill recovery operations during daylight hours of May 8, 2008. Plans include acquiring an additional vacuum truck to be utilized by the crew to wash the drainage ditch with water and push any remaining oil to the downstream collection points. Plains notified EPA representatives that LDEQ representatives will be onsite by mid morning. EPA will continue to monitor the response.
EPA personnel will monitor site activities on May 8, 2008 and determine the extent of work remaining at the site. Follow-up phone calls will be made to state and local agencies, as well as the RP to monitor the progress of the clean-up.
Heavy rains are forecasted on Sunday May 11, 2008. Plains personnel estimate recovery operations will be completed prior to the storm event.
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