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Olympic Oil Spill Cicero IL

 
Site Contact:
Anita L. Boseman
On-Scene Coordinator

(boseman.anita@epa.gov)

Site Location:
5000 W 41st Street
Cicero, IL 60804
 response.epa.gov/OlympicOilSpillCiceroIL
NRC#: 1093081

On the morning of Friday, August 22, 2014, Olympic Oil reported an oil sheen in the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal adjacent to their facility. The Delta Companies is operating as Olympic Oil. Olympilc Oil manufactures lubercating oils, transports over water and has a storage capacity of approximately of 3,000,000 gallons. There was a storm with heavy rains the day & night preceeding the oil sheen.

USCG responded to investigate the sheen. USCG contacted EPA to respond, since the spill is outside the maritime transfer area. EPA OSC Anita L. Boseman responded. Upon arrive EPA met Illinois EPA on the scene to investigate the spill.
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The containment areas for the barge dock transfer lines were observed to be filled with water following the rainfall. The trench and sump areas were observed to be filled with water containing a sheen. Sheen observed within the boomed area on September 11, 2014 Sheen observed within the boomed area on September 11, 2014 following rainfall on September 10, 2014 Truck loading catch basin and submerged pump. Truck loading catch basin and submerged pump. Trenching along the southern edge of the containment wall with standing water and present sheen. Trenching along the southern edge of the containment wall with standing water and present sheen. Canal during a rain event with no sheen present inside the boomed area. An unknown pit that was previously filled with free product was empty as of Tuesday (8/26/14) evening. An automatic sump used to continuously pump water from the sump into 275-gallon totes. Personnel from the PRP's consultant (ERM) using an oil water interface probe to check a monitoring well for the presence of oil. A frac tank brought on-site to pump the liquid from the containment area into. Oil in the containment area. Progress as of Tuesday (8/26/14) morning Olympic Oil personnel adjusting the containment boom. A trench dug from an alleged source to the temporary sump. Flooding observed in the vicinity of a storm drain. The water was observed to contain a petroleum sheen Free product observed over a manhole cover near the truck stack Free product underneath the truck stack. Free product underneath the truck stack Oily sludge material draining down the gravel from beneath transfer lines following a rainfall. Sorbent boom in the containment area in an attempt to keep the oil from dispersing in the containment area. Oil still seeping into the containment area. Sheen present in the containment area after skimming The temporary sump overflowing due to the RP not pumping it out on a timely schedule A sheen observed in the containment area following skimming of the oily sludge material More oil sheen observed within the boomed areas as of Monday (8/25/14) morning. Oil sheen outside the containment and sorbent booms. Progress in the impoundment as of Monday (8/25/14) morning. Progress in the impoundment as of Monday (8/25/14) morning. An oil sheen observed in a containment area for transfer lines at the loading dock. Note: there is a drain hole towards the bottom of the photo allowing impacted water to escape. The temporary sump dug out by clean harbors boomed to prevent migration of the oil material. Flooding in the vicinity of stored oil following a storm on Saturday (8/23/14) evening. Progress made in the impoundment as of Saturday (8/23/14) evening. Progress made in the impoundment as of Saturday (8/23/14) evening. Totes filled with oily sludge material skimmed from the impoundment A sump pump being used to drain the hole dug by clean harbors in order to assess the subsurface conditions of the gravel. Clean Harbors digging a hole in the gravel between the impoundment and retaining wall at the edge of the Chicago Sanitary Canal in order to assess the subsurface impact. Evidence of oil continuing to enter the impoundment. Clean Harbors using leaf blowers in an attempt to push the oily sludge material towards the skimmer. Clean Harbors pumping oily sludge material collected from the impoundment into containers for storage until they can be disposed of. The sorbent boom deployed within the containment boom. Oil filling up an area where gravel had been pulled back to assess the subsurface impact. Clean Harbors deploying sorbent boom in an attempt to absorb any oil within the Chicago Sanitary Canal The skimmer being utilized by Clean Harbors to collect the oily sludge material from the impoundment. START collecting a sample of the oil entering the impoundment. START collecting a water sample from a storm-water runoff pipe. Clean Harbors setting up their vac truck in preparation for pumping oily sludge material out of impoundment. Oily, sludge material floating on top of the water in the impoundment. A sheen is also present in the water. Oil entering the impoundment. Oil-stained gravel beneath transfer lines, and oil entering the impoundment Oil-impacted run off leading into the impoundment. Oil staining on gravel between an impoundment and a retaining wall at the edge of the Chicago Sanitary Canal. Oil sheen in the Chicago Sanitary Canal Hard boom deployed to contain the oil sheen.
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) section.