The following timeline of prior incidents was provided to the EPA Team:

At 2053 hours on 13 December 2014, the EPA Team arrived on site and met with XTO representative Daniel Johns, who briefed the team on the incident, and escorted the team through the spill pathway to the fist underflow dam. Due to late hours and darkness, the EPA Team was unable to properly assess the magnitude of the spill and departed from the site as current removal activities were coming to an end for the evening. Two XTO contract personal remained overnight to ensure the site was secure.

At 0726 hours on 14 December 2014, the EPA Team met with XTO EHS Representatives and were again escorted through the site and spill pathway during daylight hours. The EPA Team observed pooled crude oil in the cattle pasture and approximately ¼ inches of crude oil floating on top of the unnamed wet weather creek. XTO contracted approximately12 clean up personal from HAZ MAT Special Services, 8 clean up personal from Oil Mop Inc., 5 clean up personal from Basics Services, and 5 XTO employees were on-site.  The EPA Team observed flushing of the spill pathway with fresh water, utilization of absorbent pads in the cattle pasture, removal of oiled vegetation in the unnamed wet weather creek, and removal of floating crude oil utilizing vacuum trucks.  Additionally, the EPA Team observed absorbent booms and snares in several locations along the unnamed wet weather creek, the reinforcement of the first underflow dam and construction of an additional underflow dam located approximately 42 feet downstream of the first.

At 0916 hours, the EPA Team conducted a SPCC inspection of the site, under a separate TDD.

At 1019 hours, the EPA Team arrives at XTO field office located on highway 71 approximately 3 miles east of U. S. Highway 271 and obtain a copy of their SPCC plan for review as part of the inspection.

At 1148 hours, OSC Delgado arrives at the XTO field office to meet with the EPA Team and XTO representative for a briefing of the incident and assessment update.

At 1215 hours, the EPA Team arrived on site and met with Clayton Farmer of the Railroad Commission of Texas and discussed in-situ remediation of impacted cattle pasture soil.

At 1230 hours, the EPA Team toured the site, spill pathway, and clean-up activities.

At 1455 hours, the EPA Team observed the tilling of impacted cattle pasture soils, and the continued effort of clean-up activities within the unnamed wet weather creek. During assessment of the unnamed wet weather creek, the EPA Team collected gps coordinates from the origin of the spill to the produced water collection point. The produced water collection point is located approximately 730 feet downstream from the second underflow dam.

At 0745 hours on 15 December 2014, the EPA Team conducted a visual assessment of the unnamed wet weather creek after an overnight rainfall event. During the assessment, several pools of crude oil were observed. Several of the pools were collected in front of absorbent booms deployed by the cleanup crew and by vegetative debris build up. Oil and oil staining in areas previously not impacted upstream of the first underflow dam, were observed and is presumed to have occurred by rising water level held by the first underflow dam. Additionally, it was observed that both underflow dams had washed out and crude oil, oil film and oil sheen had migrated further downstream of the washed out underflow dams.

At 0915 hours, the EPA Team while assessing the entire spill pathway discovered wetland delineation flagging near the produced water collection point.

Clean up efforts continued throughout the day and included power water washing of the creek, vegetative debris removal, application of absorbent pads/booms/ snares, and skimming of crude oil atop the creek water with vacuum trucks.

At 0754 hours on 16 December 2014, the EPA Team continued the visual assessment of the unnamed wet weather creek. XTO contract crews continued the cleanup efforts along the banks of the unnamed wet weather creek, and skimming of crude oil atop the creek water.

At 0758 hours, XTO employees began to repair the section of the tank battery catchment basin firewall that had previous failed and released the crude oil and produced water spilled into the environment.

At 0852 hours, cleanup crews begin to use fresh water to flush and power-wash the banks of the impacted unnamed wet weather creek.

At 0927 hours, Senior  EHS Coordinator, Mark Foreman of XTO Energy arrives at the site to coordinate cleanup efforts.

At 1235 hours, cleanup crews begin the reconstruction of the first underflow dam, skimming of crude oil, removal of oiled vegetation, continuation of power washing of crude oil from creek banks, and the use of leave blowers to move crude oil downstream to the first underflow dam for recovery with vacuum trucks.

At 1440, TPWD, Gregg Conley, arrives on site and conducts an assessment of the aquatic life within the unnamed wet weather creek.  Mr. Conley pointed out small meadows downstream of the second underflow dam and confirmed the presences of a wetland located near the produced water collection point.  Additional research will be conducted to determine if the wetland is named by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

At 0708 hours on 17 December 2014, the EPA Team conducted a visual assessment of the unnamed wet weather creek.  One vacuum truck was in operation and was vacuuming oil throughout the night.  During the assessment, an oil sheen pockets of oil film was observed from the point of entry into the creek to the second underflow dam.  Additionally, a slight sheen was observed below the second underflow dam.

At 1122 hours, the EPA Team observed approximately 29 XTO contractors continue clean-up efforts utilizing 8 leaf blowers and 2 power water washers to herd the oil sheen to the first underflow dam. 

Clean up efforts continued throughout the day and included power water washing of the creek, vegetative debris removal, application of absorbent pads/booms/ snares, and skimming of crude oil atop the creek water with vacuum trucks. Both underflow dams had been re-constructed and the oil sheen below the second underflow dam was herded with snares upstream to the second underflow dam for removal by vacuum trucks.

At 1605 hours, XTO representative Foreman indicated he would begin “maintenance mode” and let the contractors go.  And, if any oil resurfaces, they would return.  At 1636 hours, Mr. Foreman telephoned the EPA Team and stated the contractors would not leave, due to a potential for an overnight rain event.  The contractors would return the next day and a vacuum truck would operate over night.

At 0745 hours, on 18 December 2014, the EPA Team conducted a visual assessment of the unnamed wet weather creek.  A slight oil sheen was observed at the first underflow dam. 

Throughout the day, clean- up efforts continued and included using power water washing of the creek and leaf blower to herd the sheen to underflow dam #1 collection point, and replacement of absorbent pads/booms/ snares.

At 0823 hours, the EPA Team documented (written and photographic) observations, of the spill pathway and at 0957 hours emailed the documentation to OSC Delgado.

At 1028 hours, the EPA Team met with XTO representative Pat Carter to retrieve volumes of mixed oil/fresh water/creek water that had been recovered.

*Not calculated for the day

At 1105 hours, the EPA Team observed portland cement application to the oiled soils in the cattle pasture and tilling the cement into the soil for stabilization.

At 1322 hours, XTO contractors begin de-mobilization. Two local crew members with one vacuum truck will remain on-site to monitor the creek and underflow dams.

At 1402 HazMat Specialty Services is off site and at 1405 Oil Mop, Inc. is off site.

At 1415, the EPA Team de-mobilizes from the site.

No information available at this time.

No information available at this time.

No information available at this time.