This is a Clean Water Act (CWA), Oil Pollution Act (OPA) Emergency Response. A discharge of approximately 70 bbls of crude oil occurred from a flow line break in Salyersville, Magoffin County, Kentucky.

The National Response Center (NRC) was notified at approximately 1624 on March 14, 2016 by David Leo of Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection of a three barrel crude oil discharge which occurred in Salyersville, KY.  At the time of the NRC notification the oil well pump jack had been turned off for approximately three weeks. On March 15, 2016, under a PFRA, KYDEP hired a contractor to contain and remove the oil from the unnamed tributary of Mine Fork Branch.

On March 16, 2016, KYDEP called and updates the NRC notification to approximately 70 barrels of crude oil discharged with saturated soils down gradient of the oil well. Saturday March 16, 2016 at approximately 1700 KYDEP requested an EPA OSC to assist with the clean-up of the crude oil spill. The crude oil discharge was from a flow line in near the oil well and behind a metal and brick building on the property. The oil had saturated the brick on the building and flowed onto and under the slab of the building. The oil continued to flow under the ground surface and entered an unnamed tributary and an old pond on the Ward Property. The oil spill impacted approximately 0.5 mile of the unnamed tributary of Mine Fork Branch. Mine Fork Branch flows into Paint Creek which flows into Paintsville Lake.

On Sunday April 17 the owner/operator Keith Hooper spoke with the EPA OSC about the crude oil spill and his ability to adequately clean-up the discharged oil. Mr. Hooper stated he did not have the resources to hire a clean-up contractor and gave the EPA OSC access to conduct the clean-up of the discharge of oil.

1.1.2.1 Location
2022 Mine Fork Road, Salyersville, Magoffin County, Kentucky

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Crude oil discharged from a flow line at the surface. The oil saturated the brick on the building and flowed onto and under the slab of the building. The oil continued to flow under the ground surface and entered an unnamed tributary and an old pond on the Ward Property. The oil spill impacted approximately 0.5 mile of the unnamed tributary of Mine Fork Branch. Mine Fork Branch flows in to Paint Creek which flows into Paintsville Lake.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

Initially reported as a three bbl discharge, the spill has been upgraded to a 70 bbl discharge.  At the request of KYDEP, the EPA OSC is ensuring/directing the response under a Unified Command that includes State representation on site.

The following represents a concise summary of actions to date. For additional information please see the additional documents linked to the website. The website link is listed below.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

During the initial operations of the response. The discharge of crude oil was contained in the unnamed tributary of Mine Fork Branch. The free product was removed from the water and creek banks. Soil in the area of the flow line break has been excavated. The crude oil impacted building has been razed and the source area of the crude oil spill has been excavated and transported off site to the landfill.  

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
Keith Hooper, Hooper Oil and Gas LLC, GDS2-1, LLC, 46541 Roudel Ln, La Quinta, CA 92253-4320 is the potentially responsible party.

Permit # 3209-EF, Operator # 191352, Lease Name: JH Love

Carter Coordinates: 10 P 78    1825 FNL     1125 FWL

Per the property owner where the well is located, they do not own the mineral rights at the property.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
The anticipated operations at the response is to complete an interceptor trench up gradient of the old pond area and install a recovery sump. The area of the old pond will be excavated to remove crude oil impacted soils and conduct the long term Operations and Maintenance (O&M) recovery sump and tributary. 

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

2.2.2 Issues

3.1 Unified Command
USEPA

KYDEP

3.2 Cooperating Agencies

ERRS - 9

START - 1

KY DEP - 2

EPA - 1

KY Oil and Gas Board - 3 

6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
https://www.epaosc.org/ward_property_flow_line

6.2 Reporting Schedule