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Winganon Oil Spill Project
Winganon, OK - EPA Region VI
POLREP #10
Final POLREP - Completion of Final Site Report and Cost Documentation

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Winganon Oil Spill Project - Removal Polrep
Final Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VI

Subject:

POLREP #10
Final POLREP - Completion of Final Site Report and Cost Documentation
Winganon Oil Spill Project
V6KC
Winganon, OK
Latitude: 36.5797986 Longitude: -95.5333757

To:

From:

Roberto Bernier, FOSC

Date:

6/23/2015

Reporting Period:

12/05/2013 - 5/29/2015

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	V6KC	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:	4/15/2013	Start Date:	4/15/2013
Demob Date:	12/4/2013	Completion Date:	5/29/2014
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:	E10606	Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Removal. Discharge and/or Threat of a Discharge of Crude Oil from Abandoned Oil Production Wells. This is an Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund lead removal under the Clean Water Act as amended by the Oil Pollution Act (OPA)

1.1.2 Site Description

This is a continuation of the Winganon Phase of the EPA Lake Oologah Oil Spill Project (Oologah Project), which started in early 2009 when the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) requested EPA-R6 assistance with abandoned oil wells leaking or discharging oil near the Lake Oologah and its tributaries. The wells were located at project areas that were initially part of late 1990s Phase I of the Oologah Project but not addressed then because they were either part of an active lease or were secured at the time. With no viable responsible party (RP), EPA proceeded to address the wells by Plugging and Abandonment (P&A). During the Winganon Phase, EPA P&A 116 wells and demobilized from the Oologah project knowing that property owners and the OCC will possibly contact EPA again for additional leaking wells. EPA recognizes that these are very old abandoned oil fields with dilapidated infrastructure and that the possibility exist that more wells that are secured at one point will eventually fail and start leaking or discharging oil.

After shutting down the Oologah Project at the end of the Winganon Phase in the fall of 2011, EPA-R6 was notified by the locals during the fall of 2012 that two wells in close proximity to the lake started to leak, threatening to discharge oil into the tributaries and the lake. After assessing the wells, EPA noticed both wells heavily leaking oil and decided to P&A the wells before the 2013 wet weather season.

1.1.2.1 Location

These last two wells are located within Nowata County, Oklahoma, in specific, Section 20, Township (T) 25N, Range (R) 17E for well 39-0003, and Section 29 of T 25N, R 17E for well 37-0075.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
The wells seemed to be abandoned, unsecured and discharging oil onto the surrounding area. The wells are located next to Panther Creek which drains directly into Lake Oologah within a short distance. Lake Oologah is a navigable waterway of the U.S. and a drinking water source for the city of Tulsa and other smaller municipalities in the area.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
After assessing the wells, EPA noticed both wells heavily leaking oil and decided to P&A the wells before the 2013 wet weather season. The Oil & Gas leases were the wells are located have been inactive for over 35 years. The wells are abandoned with no possibility that a viable RP could be found.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative
On 04/15/2013, EPA arrived on site with START-3 and ERRS to initiate removal activities consisting of preparing the roads for the equipment to access the well locations and setup for P&A. P&A consists of removing the old tubing and cementing to the bottom of the well until it circulates to the top thru the back casing if one exists. Then, the cement is allowed to set, the well is "top-off" with more cement to later be cut at 3 feet below grade and capped with a welded ID plate.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
This was a continuation of the Winganon Phase of the Oologah Project. Since initiation of P&A activities on April 20, 2010, EPA was able to address a total of 116 discharging or unsecured, abandoned oil wells, with 7 of them requiring significant drilling of previously incorrectly poured cement done in the past by unknown parties. EPA addressed those wells since oil was seeping and leaking through the bad plug. For previous response and removal activities please refer to POLREPs 1 thru 9.

In summary, after not being able to completely P&A well 39-0003 on June 2013 by cutting and capping due to extreme wet conditions at the site, FOSC Bernier was able to return on November 2013 to assess the cement plug and determine that the well was ready for final P&A. On 12/05/2013 the team returned to the well to cut and cap and by that finishing field activities.

This final POLREP covers activities related to the development of the final site report and compilation of site costs documentation needed to complete the project. In addition, funding is still available under the FPN to address other potential leaking wells in the future and in early April 2015, one of the property owners contacted EPA-R6 about several additional wells heavily leaking oil on his property. The OCC also referred several more that they have discovered. As previously indicated, this re-appearance of additional leaking wells was expected due to the continued deteriorating conditions of the abandoned oil infrastructure of the Lake Oologah oil fields.

On May 5, 2015, FOSC Bernier returned to the area to assess the wells and determined that five were within the EPA Project Areas, not P&A by EPA during previous phases of the project, and needed to be P&A since they were leaking oil and posed a significant threat of a discharge of oil. Due to flooding and wet conditions the OCC offered to later provide latitude, longitude, and photos of additional leaking wells they knew about within the project areas. FOSC Bernier contacted the NPFC to inquire about whether the same FPN should be use to proceed with the P&A of the additional wells since funding still remained within the original ceiling, or if it was convenient to just open a new FPN. The NPFC indicated that due to the extended inactivity under the existing FPN that it was appropriate to open a new one to address the new wells.

No additional activities are expected under this FPN E10606.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
A title and oil & gas records search indicated that a viable RP could not be found.

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Planned Response Activities

None

2.2.2 Next Steps
None

2.2.3 Issues
As expected, additional abandoned leaking wells are being reported within the EPA Lake Oologah Oil Spill Project area but those will be addressed under a new FPN.

2.3 Logistics Section