July 2011 Silvertip Pipeline Crude Oil Discharge to the Yellowstone River

Transcription

1 July 2011 Silvertip Pipeline Crude Oil Discharge to the Yellowstone River Presentation to the Montana Section of the American Water Resources Association October 11, 2012 Laura Alvey, Project Officer Montana Department of Environmental Quality

2 Topic Overview The pipeline break Initial emergency response to the oil release Crude oil behavior in the environment Oil cleanup Post cleanup work

3 What Happened? On July 1, 2011 ExxonMobil s Silvertip Pipeline broke in the Yellowstone River 1500 barrels crude oil (63,000 gallons) released Yellowstone River at peak of 30 year flood

4 Laurel Billings ExxonMobil Refinery N 30 KM 20 Miles

5 North Shore Block Valve Buoy attached to severed north pipe segment 8/24/2011 Buoy Severed pipe entering from south bank South Bank

6 Initial Emergency Response Shut down the pipeline Protect public health and safety Evacuations Close access to the river Alert public drinking water supplies

7 Flooding! 30 year floor event Water was over the banks How did flooding affect where the crude oil went? Think about how things would have been different if the water level had been lower

8 Pipe Break July 1, 11:00 p.m. 65,000 CFS Yellowstone River Flow July September 2011 Boat Operation Begin July 8 54,000 CFS River Stage (feet) August 1 15,500 CFS September 1 6,700 CFS July August September

9

10

11

12 Crude Oil Distribution: Where Did the Oil Go? Evaporation: lighter fractions volatilized Floated downstream (approx 75 miles) Adhesion to organics: Oil sticks to grass, roots Entrapment (debris piles) Oil Mineral Aggregation (OMA): oil binding to sediment Dissolution Recovered by cleanup (small % of total)

13 Floating Oil

14 Floating Oil

15 Floating Oil and Debris Pile Entrapment

16 Adhesion: Oil Sticking to Rocks

17

18

19

20

21 Assessment and Clean Up Who was involved? ExxonMobil (and many contractors) Impacted property owners Federal agencies: EPA, Coast Guard, Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM, NOAA, others State agencies: DEQ, FWP, DNRC, MDT, Ag, others Other agencies: Tribes, Disaster and Emergency Services, Yellowstone County, Cities of Laurel and Billings

22 Overall Assessment and Cleanup Process Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique Teams (SCAT) Operations (Ops) cleanup crews ReSCAT Claims process (above and beyond SCAT/Ops)

23 Custer C Billings Division Areas Segments Acres Surveyed Laurel A B Point of Release A B ,476 C ,412 Total ,733

24

25

26 Approved Treatment Methods 1. Cutting of Vegetated and Shrub/Scrub Shorelines, Floodplains and Riverbanks (non high use public access areas) 2. Removal of Dead (Unattached) Oiled Vegetation and Small Oiled Debris 3. Wipe / Flush Large Woody Debris/Other Hard Surfaces 4. Removal of Soil/Sediment 5. Sorbent Use 6. Heavy Equipment (Oiled Debris Removal) 7. Natural Attenuation (More Harm Than Good) 8. Refer to Technical Advisory Group (Unique Situations) 9. Dust Fixative (Dry Universal Sediment Technology) 10. Light Mechanical Equipment Use in the Riparian Zone

27 1. Cutting of Vegetation Oil Coated Vegetation Up to One Inch (1 ) Oil Rubs Off on Glove: Oiled Leafy Vegetation May Be Removed from the Sapling; Only Trim Stem at Chest Level

28 1. Cutting of Vegetation

29 #2: Small Debris Removal

30 #2: Small Debris Removal Approx 6,600 cu yds waste generated

31 #3: Wipe / Flush Large Woody Debris and Riprap No cleaning agents were approved for use

32 #4. Soil / Sediment Removal Oil >1cm Thick On Soil: Remove Oiled Sediment. Do Not Remove Clean Soil

33 #5. Sorbent Use Guidelines

34 #5. Sorbent Use Guidelines 52,380 feet sorbent boom 217 sorbent rolls 300 viscous sweeps 1,400 sorbent pads 300 oil booms USFWS

35 6. Heavy Equipment

36 7. Natural Attenuation Where active treatment causes more harm than good. Trace or very light oil impacts. Weathering is expected. Monitoring will be conducted.

37 7. Natural Attenuation Oil Stained Grass Oil Does NOT Rub Off On Glove: Do NOT Trim

38 #8. Special Situations Ph Photo by Billings Gazette

39 #9. Dust Fixative

40 #10. Light Mechanical Equipment USFWS

41 Boat Operations

42 Investigation/Sampling Soil Sediment Surface water Groundwater Public surface water supply sampling: surface water, sediment, sedimentation basins Natural Attenuation Monitoring (45 sites)

43 What s left to do? Follow up on emerging issues (sheen, fish kills, citizen complaints) Complete groundwater and PWS investigations Review compiled soil and sediment data Reclamation/revegetation Complete Natural Attenuation Monitoring Supplemental Environmental Projects Natural Resource Damages

44 Preparing for the Future DEQ is becoming more engaged with emergency response Working with Disaster and Emergency Services on planning DEQ developing an Emergency Response manual Training in the National Incident Management and Incident Command systems

45 Questions?