U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Emchem Glycol Spill - Removal Polrep
Final Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VI
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Subject:
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POLREP #2
FINAL
Emchem Glycol Spill
Pearland, TX
Latitude: 29.5753316 Longitude: -95.2898488
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To:
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From:
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John Martin, OSC
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Date:
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11/30/2011
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Reporting Period:
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11/21 - 11/22/11
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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
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Contract Number: |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
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Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
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Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
10/11/2011 |
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Start Date: |
10/11/2011 |
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Demob Date: |
10/12/2011 |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
TXD0980750624 |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category: Emergency Response
1.1.2 Site Description: At approximately 23:30 on 10 October 2011 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) contacted the National Response Center (NRC) concerning a release of Triethylene Glycol from the abandoned Emchem Corporation.
1.1.2.1 Location: Emchem Corporation is located at 4301 Rice Drier Road, Pearland, Brazoria County, Texas.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat: The uncontrolled release of the contents of an AST from an abandoned facility. The AST had very little to no secondary containment. The released material would have eventually migrated to a nearby tributary of Clear Creek which flows to Clear Lake. The primary chemical of concern is abandoned feedstock used to produce Trieththeylene Glycol (TEG).
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results: Based on initial assessments, triethylene glycol is leaking at a rate of 3-4 gallons per minute from a failed valve at the bottom of an 18,000 gallon Above Ground Storage Tank (AST). The cause of the leak is believed to be the result of uneven tank settling due to soft saturated ground complicated by recent a rain event on 9 October 2011. Three other 18,000 gallon ASTs have also experienced uneven settling causing concern for the overall structural integrity of those tanks.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative: At approximately 23:30 on 10 October 2011 TCEQ contacted the NRC (Incident Report # 992154) concerning the release of Triethylene Glycol (TEG) due to a leaking valve at a tank farm. Initial reports indicated that 3,000 gallons of material have been released with an estimated 1,800 gallons having flowed off-site into a drainage ditch located on the north side of the site. The leak is on-going at an approximate rate of 3-4 gallons per minute. Shortly after midnight on 11 October 2011, the EPA Phone Duty Officer activated the START and ERRS contractors to immediately respond to the site.
2.1.2 Response Actions since last POLREP: On 21 November 2011 EPA, ERRS, and START remobilized to the site to dispose of the material stored in the Frac Tanks, decontaminate the Frac Tanks, and demobilize the tanks from the site. Approximately 21,000 gallons of material and decontamination water was hauled off-site for disposal at the the Philip Reclamation Services Houston, LLC facility located in Houston Texas.
On 22 November 2011 at approximately 13:00 hours EPA, ERRS, and START demobed the remaining equipment completing the emergency response phase of the project.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities: The owner/operator of the facility has been deceased for two years. Prior to his death, he had been in litigation with TCEQ for more than 20 years regarding regulations pertinent to facility operations. While the family heirs decided not to take possession of the site because of liability issues, the co-executor of the estate signed site access for the EPA operations.
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2.2 Planning Section
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Next Steps: A more detailed assessment and sampling of the remaining material(s) stored on-site is recommended to be conducted at the Site for possible furthur removal activities.
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2.3 Logistics Section
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Not relevant.
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2.4 Finance Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.5 Other Command Staff
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Not revelant.
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3. Participating Entities
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Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - TCEQ
Brazoria County Emergency Management
City of Pearland Fire Marshalls
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4. Personnel On Site
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10/11/2011: 1 EPA OSC, 1 EPA START Contractor, 9 EPA ERRS Contractors
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5. Definition of Terms
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Not applicable.
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6. Additional sources of information
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Not relevant.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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Not relevant.
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