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Exxon Mobile Pipeline Release

 
Site Contact:
Mark Hayes
OSC

(hayes.mark@epa.gov)

Site Location:
Tolbert, LA 71438
 response.epa.gov/exxonmobilepipeline
NRC#: 1010007

The EPA Response Duty Officer (RDO) was dispatched to a reported 1891 barrel pipeline release in Tolbert, LA on Sunday, April 29. Exxon Mobile reported a pipeline failure resulting in approximately 1891 barrels of crude released onto the surrounding soil and into a nearby canal (ditch). EPA's START contractor is on-scene and the OSC's ETA is approximately 2200 CST. EPA is coordinating with the responsible party, LDEQ and the Louisiana State Police.


Southern terminus of oil spill containment, crews applying boom Southern terminus of oil spill on Bayou Cholpe View to the north of Bayou Cholpe at southern extent of spill Boom across Bayou Cholpe near Hwy 190 Bridge ExxonMobil Pipeline right of way, source of spill Drainage ditch berm at Bayou Cholpe Hwy 190 overpass collection activities Hwy 190 containment efforts Vacuum trucks arriving at spill in division C. Contingent boom downstream of contained spill. Crews deploying skimmers in division C to recover oil. Crews using boom and adsorbent pads to recovery oil from water surface in division C. Oil recovery beneath hwy 190 bridge. ExxonMobil excavating pipeline ExxonMobil inspecting pipeline rupture Unearthed pipline with damage to welded seam. Closeup of split seam on pipeline. Oil continuing to leak from pipeline due to gravity flow from 15 miles of piping. Crews in division C using pressurized water, drum skimmers, and vacuum trucks to recover oil. Drum skimmer in division B Oil in Bayou Cholpe north of drainage ditch discharge Skimming operations in Bayou Cholpe near drainage ditch discharge point Fully excavated pipeline showing split seam. Oil recovery operations in division A near access road to pipeline site. Crude oil in drainage ditch system Skimming operations at the southern terminus of the oil spill. Crews maintaining boom and using vacuum hoses to directly recover oil Triton vacuum unit and frac trucks Oil within woods north of pipeline. Reduced amount of oil at the Hwy 190 collection point Southern extent of spill, area was previously completely covered with oil. Skimming operations at the Enterprise pipeline crossing Skimming operations at the drainage ditch dishcharge point into Cholpe Bayou. Crews using high pressure water to wash oil from north of drainage ditch/Bayou Cholpe intersection Crews using pressurized water and skimmer to remove oil from division C Addtional boom placed at southern terminus of oil spill in anticipation of heavy rainfall. Site command post and support yard. Oil skimming operations at the junction of drainage ditch and Bayou Cholpe. Southern end of drainage ditch. Cleanup Progress - Div A north of T Cleanup progress - Div B south of T New section of pipe staged in pipeline right-of-way Excavated pipeline. Excavated Pipeline Damaged section of pipe wrapped with visqueen and oil recovery from installed valve Adsorbent boom placement on southern end of Bayou Cholpe after pressure washing. Looking north from collection point at southern terminus of spill, Bayou Cholpe after washing. Cleanup progress - Div C (from west bank of Bayou Cholpy) Recovery operations at southern end of oil spill. Bayou Cholpe after pressure washing, southern end Oil recovery operations at southern end of Bayou Cholpe. Scaffolding used to access Bayou Cholpe. Skimmer recovery - Div C (from west bank of Bayou Cholpy) Additional adsorbent boom placed in Bayou Cholpe in anticipation of heavy rainfall Boom placed higher along bank of Bayou Cholpe in anticipation of water level rising Installation of underflow dam on Bayou Cholpe Underflow dam on Bayou Cholpe Oil beneath Hwy 190 overpass Bayou Cholpe at Hwy 190 bridge. Skimming operations beneath Hwy 190 bridge Cleanup progress - Div B north of railroad bridge Skimming operations beneath Hwy 190 bridge. Flow at Hwy 190 collection area. High volume vacuum operation in zone C High volume vacuum operations Zone C oil in Bayou Boom, skimmer, and adsorbent pads used in zone C. Airboat used for blowing operations. Airboat operations in zone C Washing operations in zone C Airboat operations in zone C Washing operations in zone C Heavy oil at 190 Hwy collection area. Approximately 1/2 inch thick. Crew vacuuming oil from railroad trestle debris pile. Bayou Cholpe south of railroad trestle. Prior to logjam removal. Bayou Cholpe north of railroad trestle prior to logjam removal. Zone A, clearing of brush along spill pathway. Zone A clearing operations Railroad bridge debris removal, Zone C Railroad trestle debris removal, zone C Adsorbent pads applied to drainage ditch in zone A. Railroad trestle debris cleared, zone C Adsorbent pad oil collection in zone A Adsorbent pad oil collection in zone A Railroad trestle cleared of debris Boom and adsorbent pads between railroad trestle and hwy 190. Bayou Cholpe water level rise after previous nights rainfall. Water level rise in Bayou Cholpe beneath Hwy 190 and railroad trestle. Drainage ditch in zone A rise in water level. Sorbent pads along bank Drainage ditch in zone A. Water level rise due to rainfall event previous evening. Water flow at the Enterprise pipeline crossing in zone C. Adsorbent pads, containment boom, and adsorbent boom applied to increased bayou flow. Crews collecting debris. Pipeline repairs. Crews bolting in new section. Pipeline repairs. Crews lowering new section into line. Zone A. Overland oil travel path. Vegetation cleared from area. Rainfall has Overland oil spill pathway in Zone A. Vegetation removed. Crews removing oiled debris from zone C. Crews removing oiled debris from zone C. Hwy 76 at Bayou Jimmy boom placement Hwy 76 at Bayou Jimmy boom placement Crews working in A1 scraping contaminated soil from the area. Crews working in A2 installing underflow dam Area A3, drainage ditch after water receded. Area A1, crews excavating and loading contaminated soil Area A1, north of pipeline. Brush cleared, preparing for excavation. Area A1, crews excavating and stockpiling contaminated soil Area A1, excavation complete within wooded area south of pipeline. Area A1, stockpiled soil Area A1, excavation north of pipeline adjacent to pipeline. Area A1, excavator entering wooded area Area A1, excavators clearing path into wooded area. Area A2, underflow dam complete Area A2, excavation of drainage ditch. Area C1, Enterprise crossing adsorbent boom and pads. Area A1, north of pipeline. Excavation started. Area A1, south of pipeline. Excavators loading soil into roll-off boxes. Area A2, excavation of drainage ditch complete. Area A1, soil stockpile covered at end of work day. Contaminated soil removal, loading trucks from stockpile Loading contaminated soil. View of excavated soil in division A. Contaminated soil stockpile removed. Contaminated soil stockpile removed Crews using adsorbent pads to remove small areas of oil at ground surface. Board road placed in pasture to hold roll-off boxes. Water overwashing the underflow dam on Bayou Cholpe after heavy rainfall Water rising in Bayou Cholpe at intersection of drainage ditch and Bayou Cholpe Enterprise Pipeline crossing, majority of oil removed. Underflow dam after water receeded from previous day Fish below water surface at underflow dam View of Bayou Cholpe southern collection point, majority of oil removed from the water surface.
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) section.