Pollution/Situation Report Profile

QEP Resources Spill
Lovelady, TX - EPA Region VI
POLREP #2
Final POLREP

Printer Friendly | PDF

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
QEP Resources Spill - Removal Polrep
Final Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VI

Subject:

POLREP #2
Final POLREP
QEP Resources Spill
E14608
Lovelady, TX
Latitude: 31.1268496 Longitude: -95.4454992

To:

From:

Mike McAteer, OSC

Date:

3/27/2014

Reporting Period:

March 16 - 17, 2014

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	E14608	Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	OPA	Response Type:	PRP Oversight
Response Lead:	PRP	Incident Category:	Removal Assessment
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	3/13/2014	Start Date:	3/13/2014
Demob Date:	3/17/2014	Completion Date:	3/17/2014
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:	E14608	Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

1.1.2 Site Description:

On March 11, 2014 at approximately 6:30 pm, QEP Resources contacted the NRC to report a 30 barrel crude oil spill along with an unknown amount of salt water. According to QEP, the crude oil entered an unnamed tributary to Dillard Creek located in Houston County southwest of the town of Lovelady, Texas.

EPA was initially informed by the RP that very little oil had entered the creek and therefore, no EPA response was initiated. However, on March 13, Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) requested that an EPA OSC assess the spill response. TPW personnel had responded to the spill the day before and they had concerns about the RP's response activities. OSC McAteer, along with a representative from TPW arrived at the site on March 13 at approximately 1800 hours and conducted an assessment of the spill and the response action.

The spill appeared to originate from a buried 2 inch flow line that connects a nearby tank battery to four separate well sites. The oil flowed overland for approximately 350 feet and then entered a small creek. Based on TPW's reconnaissance, the oil flowed approximately 1.5 miles downstream. The RP, QEP Resources, had deployed hard and soft boom at what appeared to be the extent of the visible oil downstream, approximately 1.5 miles from where the oil first entered the creek. An underflow dam had also been placed in the creek approximately 2,000 feet downstream of the entry point. An earthen berm had been placed at the entry point to the creek and the RP's contractors had attempted to use fresh water to flush the oil on the ground surface from the source area down to the earthen berm. Absorbent padding was being used at the source area as well as in the creek. Vac trucks along with frac tanks for storage were being used in the creek at strategic points. Large pools of crude oil could be seen at multiple points in the creek.

Based on EPA's initial assessment, EPA requested that QEP deploy additional personnel and equipment to the response to expedite the cleanup. The chief concern at the time of EPA's initial assessment was the threat of rain beginning in about 24 to 48 hours. QEP Resources informed the OSC that they would increase the number of personnel from 14 to 30 and bring in skimmers to help expedite the cleanup.

On March 14, OSC McAteer opened an FPN with the Coast Guard and also deployed one START team member to the site to verify that the RP had increased personnel and equipment to the site. START arrived on-site at approximately 1630 hours and met with the Incident Commander. The Incident Commander informed START that approximately 36 RP employees/contractors were actively working on the response. The RP had mobilized 2 - 130 barrel vacuum trucks, 4 frac tanks, 1 roll-off box. and 3 light towers to assist with the removal of the oil. The RP was actively removing free oil from the creek utilizing vacuum trucks and sorbent pads/sorbent boom. The RP also constructed one underflow dam at the point of entry into the creek to minimize any additional oil from entering the creek and a second underflow dam further downstream to prevent oil from migrating downstream in preparation for potential rain on 15-16 March.

On March 17, START remoblized to the site to document site conditions and the QEP's progress on removing the free oil from the creek. The site received approximately 0.75 - 1.0 inches of rain between March 15 and 17. The underflow dams constructed and installed by the QEP contractors remained intact and allowed the water to continue to flow through the creek, while allowing QEP contractors to remove the free oil flushed down by the rain. START did not observe any free oil within the creek. As part of the long term maintenance of the creek the QEP planned on leaving sorbent boom within the creek to absorb any free oil that may still be trapped in debris.

QEP was working with the Texas Railroad Commission on addressing the potentially impacted soil. The Texas Railroad Commission and Texas Parks and Wildlife revised the estimated oil released to 10 barrels.

1.1.2.1 Location

The spill occurred from a 2 inch diameter buried flow line located on QEP Resources property. The spill is located at Latitude: 31. 01' 53.83" N. and Longitude: 95. 29' 20.25" W.

The spill site is located in a rural area of Houston County, approximately 7 miles southwest of the town of Lovelady, Texas.

The oil entered a small unnamed tributary which flows into Dillard creek which is a tributary to the Trinity River.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Crude oil spill into waters of the U.S.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

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

The responsible party is:

QEP Resources, Inc.
6100 South Yale Ave
Suite 900
Tulsa, OK 74136

A Notice of Federal Interest (NOFI) was issued by the OSC to Jacob Crissup with QEP Resources via email on Friday March 14, 2014.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

*Waste Stream*	*Medium*	*Quantity*	*Manifest #*	*Treatment*	*Disposal*

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

No further onsite actions are planned by EPA

2.2.2 Issues

2.3 Logistics Section