On 13 October 2014, a spill of crude oil occurred from a 20 inch pipeline owned by Mid-Valley Pipeline located near Mooringsport, LA.  Sunoco Logistics owns 91% of Mid Valley Pipeline and is the designated Responsible Party (RP). Sunoco first reported to the NRC a drop in pressure in the pipeline at approximately 8:30am on 13 October and remotely blocked in the pipeline.  They sent crews to the field and discovered the leak at approximately 11:30am.  The crude oil entered into the Miller Branch Creek of the Tete Bayou which feeds into Caddo Lake.  Sunoco early estimates of volume spilled based on topographical "drain down" is 4,000 barrels (bbls). 

1.1.2 Site Description

The spill origin is located in a high voltage electrical transmission line right of way approximately .4 miles west of Highway 169 south of Mooringsport, LA. Latitude: 32.652854° North, Longitude 93.981928° West.  After entering Miller Branch Creek crude oil flowed downstream to the northwest as it approached Caddo Lake. The spill pathway distance between the origin and the most downstream containment boom is approximately 4.1 miles. The stream distance between the most downstream containment boom and Caddo Lake is approximately 0.42 miles.

1.1.2.1 Location

The Site is located near Mooringsport, LA , Latitude: 32.652854° North, Longitude 93.981928° West.

 Approximately 4000 barrels of crude oil was discharged into Miller Branch Creek and Tete Bayou. The oil is within 0.4 miles of Caddo Lake.  Caddo Lake is a navigable water.  Three residences adjacent to the spill pathway have been voluntarily evacuated.

 On 13 October 2014 at 2020 hours, On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) William Rhotenberry and EPA’s Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) initiated an  assessment of the incident.

During the initial assessment, crude oil was observed in Miller Branch Creek near a bridge located on Caddo Parish Road 121: Latitude: 32.655381° North, Longitude 93.989273 West. The RP and their OSRO, Oil Mop, Inc.(OMI) were utilizing a vacuum truck to recover free standing oil which was then transported to frac tanks staged on Hereford Road. The RP and OMI reported they had contained the crude oil approximately 0.5 miles upstream of Caddo Lake.

 On 13 October 2014, the RP had initiated oil recovery at two locations.  They also had identified the extent of the oil migration and installed hard boom to prevent further migration.  Recovery operations continued throughout the night at the Parish Road 121 recovery point (Upstream Recovery Point 1).

On 14 October 2014,  an incident command post was identified at 8905 Greenwood  Road, Greenwood, LA and Unified Command was established to support the incident.    The RP resources were increased to approximately 60 people and consisted of personnel from Sunoco Logistics, Walker Hill Environmental, Conestoga Rovers & Associates, OMI, Garner Environmental Services, ISI Solutions, Inc., and The Response Group (TRG).  Crews used vacuum trucks at 3 collection points to recover crude oil from the impacted watershed: Upstream Collection Point 1 (UCP1); Downstream Collection Point 1(DCP 1); and Downstream Collection Point 2 (DCP2). UCP 1 is located approximately 0.5 miles downstream of the spill origin. DCP1 and DCP2 are located at the intersection of the spill pathway and Hereford Road. An underflow dam was also constructed directly upstream of DCP1 and DCP2.  On 15 October 2014, the RP recovery team continued to ramp up recovery operations by employing an additional 40 Oil Spill Response Organization (OSRO) contractors to assist with the removal of oil affected debris in the spill pathway. Vacuum truck operations continued at UCP1, DCP1, and DCP2. All recovered oil/water was transported and transferred to frac tanks staged at the Hereford Road staging area. Additional containment efforts included the construction of a second underflow dam approximately 400 feet downstream of DCP1 and DCP2, and the deployment of additional sorbent and hard boom in the spill pathway and beyond the outfall of the Tete Bayou into Caddo Lake.

EPA issued a PRFA to the USFW to assist in ensuring response actions minimized the impacts to sensitive areas and wildlife.   A representative from USFW mobilized to the incident.

Approximately 1400 barrels of oil have been recovered.