On April 9, 2009, an uncontrolled, abandoned oil well was noted releasing crude oil about 2500 yards from the flood plain of the east shore of Lake Oologah. The well is located about 3 miles northeast of Winganon, Rogers County, OK, on the SW/4 NE/4 SW/4 of Section 4, T24N, R17E.
The well is located in the north bank of Plumb Creek, which flows directly into Lake Oologah. The well was discharging a substantial amount of oil into the creek and the sheen was visible for over 300 yards downstream. Oil carried by the runoff from the rainy season could continue impacting Plumb Creek and Lake Oologah.
The well was originally assessed by EPA in during Phase III of the Lake Oologah Oil Spill Project in June 2006. At the time, the well was part of an active oil lease. Due to the close location of the well to the creek and the lake, EPA OSC Bernier has determined that the released oil had and could continue impacting navigable waters of the U.S. if not addressed promptly.
