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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
Z4ZB |
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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: |
OPA |
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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: |
9/19/2014 |
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Start Date: |
9/19/2014 |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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FPN#: |
E14459 |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Region 4 Emergency Response and Removal Branch (ERRB) responded to a continuous release of crude oil along a one half mile section of Beaver Creek three miles west of Glasgow, Kentucky. Response efforts were initially requested by Kentucky Dept Environmental Protection (KDEP) and are being performed under the OSC's Oil Pollution Act authority.
1.1.2 Site Description
The spill Site is along the flood plain of a 50 acre farm three miles west of Glasgow. Crude oil continues to emanate from a creek bank into a 100 yard section of Beaver Creek in a remote section of the creek. Approximately a one half mile stretch of the creek has been impacted. The spill is located immediately south of a recent interchange construction by Kentucky DOT along the Louie B. Nunn Expressway between Interstate 65 and Glasgow, Ky.
1.1.2.1 Location
The spill is located along Beaver Creek on a 50 acre farm along State Route 1297 where it runs under the Louie B. Nunn Expressway.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
The crude oil release is emanating from the Harrison No. 2 abandoned oil well 80 feet from Beaver Creek. There are two additional abandoned oil wells on the flood plain but test trenching operations conducted in December of 2014 confirmed the source as the Harrison No. 2 well. According to Kentucky Oil and Gas, this well was most likely improperly plugged in the mid 1980's.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
EPA working with Kentucky DEP and the property owner has located three former well locations which could potentially be the source of crude. Kentucky DOT has recently built an interchange on the L. Nunn Expressway on an 8 acre parcel of the farm upgradient of the creek.
The Harrison No. 2 well was uncovered and cemented on October 3rd by EPA and ERRs contractors (reference Polrep #3). However, crude oil continues to flow from the creek bank.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
December 29th through January 9th, 2015
Based on the continuing release of crude oil to Beaver Creek and test trenching operations indicating that the crude oil continued to come from the Harrison No.2 Well plugged in early October 2014, the OSC requested additional funding from the National Pollution Fund Center (NPFC) in late December 2014 to drill out the previous cement plug and replug the well. Emphasis during this replugging effort would be centered around removing the abandoned 2" production tubing left in the well from a depth of 200 to 600 feet. Plugging operations in early October simply involved placing a cast iron bridge plug on well casing at 123 feet and cementing the well to land surface. The well log survey conducted on October 1st showed that well casing stopped at 140 feet but that the casing was properly cemented.
Operations during the week of December 29th involved having an oil well service subcontractor (Barnett and Smith) bring in a rotary drilling rig and drill out the previous cement plug and cast iron bridge plug at 123 feet.
During the week of January 5th, Barnett and Smith began milling through the abandoned 2" production tubing left at a depth of 196 feet. Efforts to lock onto the 2" tubing using an "overshot" tool were unsuccessful presumably because of debris around the 2" tubing. As the well subcontractor continued to "fish" for the 2" tubing, they continued to encounter an obstruction at approximately 30 feet. Eventually the well subcontractor was able to "fish out" the obstruction which appeared to be a bad section of the well casing presumably corroded from years of groundwater erosion. Downhole operations continued to be hampered by bad casing at 30 feet and the decision was made to procure and set smaller diameter casing (5 1/2") so that operations at 200 feet and below were not impeded.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
The OSC is working with Kentucky Oil and Gas in identifying previous drillers in the area. Once identified, EPA will pursue normal responsible party liability and request plugging records by operators. Wells in this area of Kentucky date back to 1930's to 1940's. Wells in an area of Boyds Creek less than ten miles from this site date back to 1865 (Civil War).
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
| Waste Stream |
Medium |
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Manifest # |
Treatment |
Disposal |
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Continue drilling through the failed cement plug and resetting a new cast iron bridge plug at a lower depth. The oil producing formation is reported to be at a depth of 600 feet (Leeper Formation) and attempts will be made to place the plug at that depth to avoid future issues.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
2.2.2 Issues
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2.3 Logistics Section
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No information available at this time.
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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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No information available at this time.
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3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified Command
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
Kentucky DEP, Kentucky Oil and Gas, Kentucky DOT
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4. Personnel On Site
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ERRs (CMC Inc. ) - 1 response manager, 3 laborers. 1 equiment operator.
Oil Well Service Subcontractor, Barnett and Smith - 1 rig operator, 1 supervisor, 2 laborers
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5. Definition of Terms
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No information available at this time.
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6. Additional sources of information
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No information available at this time.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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