1.1.1 Incident Category

Oil Pollution Act response. Crude oil is impacting the Obey River near Alpine, Tennessee.

1.1.2 Site Description

The Site consists of an abandoned oil well field on farm land along Wilder Highway east of Alpine, Tenn. At least four abandoned oil wells have been identified on the farm which apparently were never plugged properly. Crude oil is currently impacting the West Fork of the Obey River east of the farm along its left descending bank. 

1.1.2.1 Location

400 Wilder Highway, Alpine, Overton County, Tenn

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Crude oil from improperly plugged oil wells in the vicinity of the West Fork. 

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

2.1.1 Narrative

On Wednesday afternoon, June 1, 2016, the OSC met with TDEC's Oakley Hall and hiked the suspected area from a nearby farm along Wilder Highway near Alpine, Tenn.  A large pool of crude oil was found along the left descending bank approximately 0.9 miles upstream of Whites Bridge along Hwy 52. The crude is eminating from a rock outcrop along the rivers edge. 

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

On Thursday, June 2, the OSC initiated a 50K Oil Pollution Act Response under his warrant authority to begin clean up efforts. Access to the river is very limited and requires restoring an old logging road from the farm along Hwy 85. Currently Region 4 ERRS contractors are restoring an 800 yard section of the logging road in order to gain access to the spill area using ATV's.

On Friday and Saturday June 3 and 4th, ERRS contractors successfully restored the logging trail to the river and began clean up measures. The crude oil is eminating from a rock outcropping approximately 1/4 mile downstream from the trail end at the river. River levels were low which allowed ERRS to construct a collection pool at the source with 18-24' berms using river rock, clay and sand around the spill area to isolate the crude oil from the main channel of the river. 

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

Access to the farm was granted by the property owner. The OSC explained that the old logging trail from the farm to the river would need to be restored in order to complete clean up activities and maintain spill measures until the suspected oil well or wells were successfully plugged. The farm owner does not own the mineral rights to the oil lease which is suspected to be the source of the crude oil. 

2.1.4 Progress Metrics