During the night of 7/10-7/11, a positive pressure line to an injection well burst at an Ohio Kentucky Oil Company well and tank battery.  Several thousand gallons of brine water with crude oil was released to a roadside drainage ditch and traveled downstream between several residences.   The release was discovered by a nearby resident at 0930hrs on 7/11 then reported by TEMA to the NRC by 1250hrs CST.  Ohio Kentucky Oil Company responded during the afternoon of 7/11 to shut down the pump station and begin collecting spilled materials.  Hay was used to dam portions of the ditch and a vacuum truck was used to collect brine and oil.  TDEC responded to the event along with TEMA and Overton County EMA. 

EPA Duty Officer dispatched OSC Huyser to respond.  OSC Huyser coordinated with both TDEC and Overton EMA while en-route.  Overton County EMA requested EPA approval on behalf of the PRP to begin flushing the most heavily impacted portion of the ditch with clean water and collecting it at a deeper portion downstream.  OSC Huyser agreed, provided that a sufficient dam with sorbent was set in place at the collection point to prevent loss of washwater.

OSC Huyser arrived to the scene at approximately 1930hrs CST and found that Ohio Kentucky Oil Co. had been including dish detergent with washwater into the ditch, causing several large collections of soap suds along a 300 yard stretch of ditch.  Overton EMA and Ohio Kentucky Oil Co. claimed that they understood the approval to begin washing the ditch to include the use of detergent.  This use was not part of the approved procedure and OSC Huyser immediately ordered that the use of detergents and soaps cease.

An inspection of the ditch revealed that an initial portion of 300 yards was impacted with brine water and oil residue.  Dead frogs and crawfish mounds were observed in the ditch.  A small area of wetland (1/4 acre) was crossed and impacted by the oil and brine mixture.  Impacts further downstream revealed heavy impacts of brine water for an additional 200 yards with lesser oil residuals observed.  EPA and TDEC spoke with property owners downstream to expressed concerns regarding damage to their land, as well as health and safety impacts to humans and animals.

OSC Huyser met with Ohio Kentucky Oil Co. and discussed immediate objectives for the night of 7/11 and additional objectives for 7/12.  Rainfall is forecasted for 0300hrs and 1500hrs on 7/12.  Immediate actions included ceasing washing activities in the initially impacted portion and removal of all accessible surface water pools (small puddles of brine water, some with oil, remained).  Also, two underflow dams were constructed with sorbent boom upstream to prevent downstream impacts during a rain event. Absorbent pads that had been laid were removed to prevent downstream loss and crews demobilized at approximately 2215hrs CDT to return at 0700hrs CDT.

EPA Duty Officer dispatched OSC Huyser to respond.  OSC Huyser coordinated with both TDEC and Overton EMA while en-route.  Overton County EMA requested EPA approval on behalf of the PRP to begin flushing the most heavily impacted portion of the ditch with clean water and collecting it at a deeper portion downstream.  OSC Huyser agreed, provided that a sufficient dam with sorbent was set in place at the collection point to prevent loss of washwater.

OSC Huyser arrived to the scene at approximately 1930hrs CST and found that Ohio Kentucky Oil Co. had been including dish detergent with washwater into the ditch, causing several large collections of soap suds along a 300 yard stretch of ditch.  Overton EMA and Ohio Kentucky Oil Co. claimed that they understood the approval to begin washing the ditch to include the use of detergent.  This use was not part of the approved procedure and OSC Huyser immediately ordered that the use of detergents and soaps cease.