On May 6, 2018, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) received a report from QEP Energy that an estimated 1,600 barrel release of produced water (a brine like liquid and oil) had occurred about 25 miles southeast of Vernal, UT. The release occurred from a buried water injection line, and the produced water and oil ran down a dry drainage ditch about 3.7 miles. The injection line was isolated and shut down; crews were in route to investigate and clean-up.
The UDEQ Division of Environmental Response and Remediation (DERR), Local Health Department, BLM, and the District Engineer for the Uintah Basin (Tri-County) District have arrived on Site and will assess the spill.
On May 8, EPA deployed an on-scene coordinator (OSC) to the spill location to conduct a preliminary assessment and to observe response activities with BLM officials. Officials have confirmed there are no known impacts to downstream water users.
Removal tactics include hot water flushing and pressure washing with heated water to mobilize and move the oily water to the collection points where vacuum trucks will remove the oil and water. This will be followed by mechanical removal (shovels and rakes) for residual staining. Currently, the removal tactics are very effective.
