Pollution/Situation Report Profile

XTO Energy - Talco
Talco, TX - EPA Region VI
POLREP #1
Initial

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
XTO Energy - Talco - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VI

Subject:

POLREP #1
Initial
XTO Energy - Talco

Talco, TX
Latitude: 33.3539960 Longitude: -95.0373346

To:

From:

Eric Delgado, OSC

Date:

12/14/2014

Reporting Period:

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:		Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	OPA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	EPA	Incident Category:	Removal Action
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	12/13/2014	Start Date:	12/13/2014
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:	E15604	Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
On 13 December 2014 at 1613 hours, the National Response Center (NRC) received a call from Daniel Johns of XTO Energy reporting a spill of produced water and crude oil from a 1,000 barrel produced water tank at the XTO, Central Tank Battery No. 6 located on a lease road south of FM 71 and 4.1 miles east of the intersection of U.S. Highway 271 and FM 271, Talco, Titus County, Texas. The spill was discovered on 13 December 2014 at 0900 hours by an XTO field employee conducting his tank gauging rounds. The 1,000 barrel produced water tank was observed to be over flowing salt water and crude oil from the thief hatch into the facility catchment basin where a previously installed rain water drain pipe failed and leaked the produced water and crude oil. XTO Energy is the Potentially Responsible Party (PRP).

1.1.2 Site Description
The site consists of 3 crude oil stock tanks, 3 produced water tanks, 7 separators, 2 heater treaters, and 1 skim oil tank.

1.1.2.1 Location
The site is located on a lease road south of FM 71, 4.1 miles east of the intersection of US 271 and FM 71, Talco, Titus County, Texas.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
The spilled produced water and crude oil impacted approximately 860 feet of cattle pasture soils, and approximately 650 feet of an unnamed wet weather creek.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The following timeline of prior incidents was provided to the EPA Team:

On 13 December 2014 at 1640 hours the EPA OSC Delgado activated the EPA START contractors to a 600 barrel produced water and 20 barrel crude oil spill from a production facility located near Talco, Titus County, Texas.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative
No information available at this time.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

At 2053 hours on 13 December 2014, the EPA Team arrived on site and met with XTO representative Daniel Johns, who briefed the team on the incident, and escorted the team through the spill pathway to the fist underflow dam. Due to late hours and darkness, the EPA Team was unable to properly assess the magnitude of the spill and departed from the site as current removal activities were coming to an end for the evening. Two XTO contract personal remained overnight to ensure the site was secure.

At 0726 hours on 14 December 2014, the EPA Team met with XTO EHS Representatives and were again escorted through the site and spill pathway during daylight hours. The EPA Team observed pooled crude oil in the cattle pasture and approximately ¼ inches of crude oil floating on top of the unnamed wet weather creek. XTO contracted approximately12 clean up personal from HAZ MAT Special Services, 8 clean up personal from Oil Mop Inc., 5 clean up personal from Basics Services, and 5 XTO employees were on-site. The EPA Team observed flushing of the spill pathway with fresh water, utilization of absorbent pads in the cattle pasture, removal of oiled vegetation in the unnamed wet weather creek, and removal of floating crude oil utilizing vacuum trucks. Additionally, the EPA Team observed absorbent booms and snares in several locations along the unnamed wet weather creek, the reinforcement of the first underflow dam and construction of an additional underflow dam located approximately 42 feet downstream of the first.

At 0916 hours, the EPA Team conducted a SPCC inspection of the site, under a separate TDD.

At 1019 hours, the EPA Team arrives at XTO field office located on highway 71 approximately 3 miles east of U. S. Highway 271 and obtain a copy of their SPCC plan for review as part of the inspection.

At 1148 hours, OSC Delgado arrives at the XTO field office to meet with the EPA Team and XTO representative for a briefing of the incident and assessment update.

At 1215 hours, the EPA Team arrived on site and met with Clayton Farmer of the Railroad Commission of Texas and discussed in-situ remediation of impacted cattle pasture soil.

At 1230 hours, the EPA Team toured the site, spill pathway, and clean-up activities.

At 1455 hours, the EPA Team observed the tilling of impacted cattle pasture soils, and the continued effort of clean-up activities within the unnamed wet weather creek. During assessment of the unnamed wet weather creek, the EPA Team collected gps coordinates from the origin of the spill to the produced water collection point. The produced water collection point is located approximately 730 feet downstream from the second underflow dam.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
XTO Energy is the PRP.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

*Waste Stream*	*Medium*	*Quantity*	*Manifest #*	*Treatment*	*Disposal*

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
The RP will continue clean-up activities.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities