1.1.1 Incident Category

This incident is an OPA emergency response.  Activities include the assessment and the removal of multiple oil discharges at various oil production facilities as a result of flooding associated with Tropical Storm Bill that impacted tank batteries and compromised aboveground storage tanks (ASTs).

1.1.2 Site Description
The assessment and removal addresses oil discharges from multiple tank batteries and wells by multiple Responsible Parties (RPs).

1.1.2.1 Location

EPA’s assessment activities are within the flood impacted area of approximately 21.1 miles along the Walnut Creek/Bayou, beginning at approximately 34.202392°, -97.398670° to 34.071279°, -97.294504°.

Oil spill response efforts are concentrated south of the Tripledee Operating Co. Ramsay Williams Lease, located at 34.161040°, -97.329570°, and the Kingery Drilling Newman Lease, located 34.158789°, -97.325117°. Although some portion of these oil impacts appear to have originated from the two tank batteries, oil discharged upstream may have been mixed in.   

The flood impacted area is a heavily wooded rural area west of Lone Grove (Carter County), Oklahoma, with an estimated population of 5,054 (2010 census).

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

On 17 June 2015, Tropical Storm Bill, a tropical cyclone, made landfall on Matagorda Island, Texas, producing widespread rainfall across East Texas and Oklahoma.  The local National Weather Service office issued a flash flood emergency for the area after 4 to 8 inches (100 and 200 mm) of rain fell in Carter County, Oklahoma. Rainfall totals from this storm ranged from 9.53” in Ardmore, OK to 13.63’ in Newport, OK.  As result of the heavy rainfall in the area, including Carter, Love, Johnston, and Marshall Counties, multiple oil discharges from oil production sites were reported by operators in the area.  FEMA is currently developing flood maps of the impacted area to determine the extent of flooding and the magnitude of the event believed to be in excess of a 100 year storm.  FEMA did not activate ESF #10.

The flooding swept away ASTs that stored oil from production fields in the area.  It is estimated that more than 400 bbls of oil is unaccounted for.  EPA received 5 of NRC reports for oil discharges and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) has received 13 complaints, in this area. 

Oil that was discharged into the flood waters would have flowed into Walnut Creek/Bayou, which flows to the Red River and then into Lake Texoma. Walnut Creek/Bayou and the Red River are navigable waters of the U.S.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

On 26 June 2015, EPA and the OCC conducted an aerial overflight and began ground assessments to determine the extent of impact of oil.  A concentration of oil spill impacts are located in an area south of Highway 70 along the Walnut Creek/Bayou, specifically south of the Tripledee Operating Co. Ramsay Williams Lease, located at 34.161040°, -97.329570°, and the Kingery Drilling Newman Lease, located 34.158789°, -97.325117°. 

2.1.1 Narrative

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

On 24 June 2015, EPA deployed OSC Bryant Smalley and its START3 Team.  A meeting was conducted with the EPA, OCC, owners/operators, and property owners to discuss oil spills in the flood impacted area and removal actions for oil impacted areas. EPA began documenting impacts from the flood and coordinating assessment activities.

On 25 June 2015, the OCC provided information on the multiple oil sites, and made arrangements to utilize the Citation Oil & Gas Corporation Nc facility, located at 854 N Texaco Rd in Lone Grove, OK, as a command post.  EPA and OCC began assessing downstream impacts from oil discharges during the flood.  Large areas of oil stained vegetation have been identified, including oil stains 15-20 above ground elevation.

On 26 June 2015, three assessment groups (one overflight and two ground) were created and evaluated the flood impacted area. The aerial assessment was conducted from the Red River north to Stephens County, Oklahoma.  Ground assessment identified several areas of pooled oil south of the Tripledee Operating Co. Ramsay Williams Lease and the Kingery Drilling Newman Lease.  Local operators agreed to deploy boom to prevent migration of oil within the Walnut Creek/Bayou.  Due to the potential mixing of discharged oil from multiple sites, and the lack of a clear responsible party to initiate the removal, OSC Smalley activated the Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor.
 

On 27 June 2015, EPA’s ERRS arrived onsite and began removal of oil impacted debris at 34.155967°, -97.326606°, the oil impacted area south of the Tripledee Operating Co. Ramsay Williams Lease and the Kingery Drilling Newman Lease. A five man crew, a foreman and a Response Manager were initially dispatched with a response trailer.  Additionally, EPA and OCC continued assessments of areas impacted by oil. 

On 28 June 2015, ERRS continued the removal of oil impacted debris at 34.155967°, -97.326606°.  Sorbent boom and pads were used to remove oil from an impacted slough along the Walnut Creek/Bayou that had accumulated discharged oil.  ERRS added a 10’ aluminum boat for removal operations.

On 29 June 2015, an additional two ERRS personnel arrived to support removal activities and a 20 cubic yard roll-off container arrived onsite. ERRS continued the removal of oil impacted debris at 34.155967°, -97.326606, and began applying absorbent pads to another area of pooled oil at 34.155685°, -97.329170°, West of the primary removal area. Additionally, a meeting was conducted with the EPA, OCC, and owner/operators to discuss on-going clean-up efforts and future plans.  OSC Bill Rhotenberry arrived to assist with response and removal efforts.

On 30 June 2015, cleanup efforts at the West oil spill debris cleanup area were completed and all resources were concentrated on the primary oil impacted area.

On 1 July 2015, EPA consulted with US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to determine the potential impact to wildlife from the oil impacted vegetation.   FWS provided recommendations to monitor the area and document impacted wildlife, especially migratory birds.  OSC Smalley demobilized from the site and OSC Rhotenberry remained on-site to provide oversight of cleanup efforts. 

On 2 July 2015, the 10-foot aluminum boat was decontaminated and utilized downstream, at 34.153242°, -97.329392° near a train trestle to remove oil-impacted debris that had collected on a fallen tree within Walnut Creek and Walnut Bayou.  Removal of all recoverable oil was completed at the two remaining areas.  EPA conducted a walkthrough of the waterway to evaluate removal efforts. While large areas of impacted vegetation remained along the banks and in the adjoining fields, no free oil, emulsified oil or sheen was observed by the EPA Team throughout the waterway.  Several areas of sorbent booms were left in place, in a maintenance roll, to collect any additional sheen that may accumulate from oiled vegetation falling in the water.  Approximately 25 cubic yards of sorbent material and impacted debris was secured in a roll-off container to be transported off-site for disposal.  All personnel and equipment were demobilized from the site on 2 July 2015.

On 21 July 2015, OSC Bill Rhotenberry and the OCC conducted a site visit of the oil impacted areas.  While there continues to be no evidence of recoverable oil, some of the sorbent booms left in place after EPA demobilized showed some visible oil staining. Tripledee Operating, one of the main oil operators in the area has agreed to remove and dispose of all remaining sorbent boom at the site under the supervision of the OCC.  EPA will turn over site monitoring to the OCC.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

Thirteen oil operators in the flood impacted areas have either reported discharges or have documented impacts to their tank batteries.  

·         Billy Judd Investment Co.

·         Butkin Oil

·         Citation Oil & Gas

·         Daube Company

·         Gibson's

·         Jack W. Williams

·         Keith F. Walker Oil & Gas Co.

·         Kingery Drilling

·         Lambert Co.

·         Plains Marketing L.P.

·         SSB Production, LLC.

·         Tripledee Operating Co.

·         Williford Petroleum, L.L.C.

• Approximately 25 yards of oil impacted sorbent material and debris was transported to Waste Connections, Inc. for disposal.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

OCC will continue to monitor recovery efforts at multiple tank batteries with identified impacts. OCC

will also continue to monitor the natural attenuation of the oil impacted vegetation in the area.

2.2.2 Issues

The long term impact of the oil to wildlife and habitat is unknown, but during the assessment and response activities no significant impacts to wildlife were documented.

N/A

START, ERRS and EPA all completed site Health and Safety Plans (HASP).

24 June 2015

·         EPA – 1

·         START – 2

·         OCC – 4

25 June 2015

·         EPA – 1

·         START – 2

·         OCC – 4

26 June 2015

·         EPA – 1

·         START – 3

·         OCC – 4

27 June 2015

·         EPA – 1

·         START – 3

·         OCC – 4

·         ERRS - 8

28 June 2015

·         EPA – 1

·         START – 2

·         OCC – 0

·         ERRS - 9

29 June 2015

·         EPA – 1

·         START – 2

·         OCC – 4

·         ERRS – 11

30 June 2015

·         EPA – 2

·         START – 2

·         OCC – 4

·         ERRS - 11

1 July 2015

·         EPA – 1

·         START – 2

·         OCC – 4

·         ERRS - 11

2 July 2015

·         EPA – 1

·         START – 2

·         OCC – 2

·         ERRS - 11

• AST – Above Ground Storage Tank(s)

• bbls – barrels

• EPA – Environmental Protection Agency

• ERRS – Emergency and Rapid Response Services

• LRV – Logistics Response Vehicle

• OCC –Oklahoma Corporation Commission

• NOFI -- Notice of Federal Interest

• OCC – Oklahoma Cooperation Commission

• OSC – On-Scene Coordinator

• OSRO -- Oil Spill Removal Organization

• PRP – Potentially Responsible Parties

• RP – Responsible Party

• START – Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team

• yd³ – cubic yard