WTF Spill of the Day - Broomfield County Colorado, Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc

Now these types of spills make us cringe.  They are of the 'UNKNOWN' classification.


OIL SPILLED BBLS: UNKNOWN
OIL RECOVERED BBLS:  0

WATER SPILLED BBLS: UNKNOWN
(REMEMBER 649+ CHEMICALS MAY BE FOUND IN PRODUCED WATER-AKA FRAC-FLUID
WATER RECOVERED BBLS: 0

OTHER SPILLED BBLS: UNKNOWN
OTHER RECOVERED BBLS: 0

DEPTH TO SHALLOWEST GROUND WATER: 9'

Date Rec'd:	7/5/2011	Report taken by:	BOB CHESSON
DocNum:	2214906	API number:	05-014 -12021	Facility ID:	244227

Operator Information

Operator:	ENCANA OIL & GAS (USA) INC	Oper. No.	100185
Address:	370 17TH ST STE 1700 ATTN: DIANE BILESZNER DENVER , CO 80202-5632
Phone:	(303 )623-2300	Fax:	(303 )623-2400
Operator Contact:	MATTHEW HARRISON

Description of Spill:

Date of Incident:	6/29/2011
Type of Facility:	WELL
Well Name/No.	CRANDELL E UNIT 1	Fac. Name/No.
County Name:	BROOMFIELD
qtrqtr: NWSW section: 26 township: 1N range: 68W meridian: 6

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Volumes spilled and recovered (bbls)
Oil spilled:	Recvrd:
Water spilled:	Recvrd:
Other spilled:	Recved:
GW Impact? Y Surface water impact? N Contained within berm? N
Area and vertical extent of spill: 25-FT X 20 -FT
Current land use: O&G PRODUCTION, AGRICULTURE
Weather conditions: CLEAR
Soil/Geology description ULM CLAY LOAM, 0-3% SLOPE
Distance in feet to nearest surface water: 3200
Depth to shallowest GW: 9
Wetlands:	Buildings: 4200
Livestock:	Water Wells: 2400
Cause of spill:
EQUIPMENT FAILURE
Immediate Response:
THE WELL WAS SHUT-IN AND INVESTIGATION OCCURRED.
Emergency Pits:
N/A
How extent determined:
EXCAVATIONI AND SOIL SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED.
Further Remediation
INSTALLATION OF GROUNDWATER MONITORING WELLS (FORM 27 WILL BE SUBMITTED WITH ADDITIONAL DETAILS).
Prevent Problem:
THE CONCRETE PRODUCED WATER TANK AND LINES WERE REPLACED.
Detailed Description:
A HISTORIC PRODUCED WATER/CONDENSATE RELEASE WAS DISCOVERED WHILE UPGRADING A CONCRETE TANK TO A FIBERGLASS TANK. EVIDENCE OF LEAKING WAS DISCOVERED FROM THE STEEL WATERLINE FOR THE PRODUCED WATER AND THE CONCRETE TANK.

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Does this suggest that the use of a 'concrete' tank to safely contain 'produced water' and or 'condensate', is not an effective or sound decision? Since this spill amount is UNKNOWN, what are the real impacts to the groundwater?  Also, UNKNOWN. 

What are the impacts to the surrounding communities? The wildlife that utilize the surrounding system's natural resources?

Why was the tank being replaced with a fiberglass tank? Did someone notice that there was a produced water/condensate leak and not report it? 

How long was produced 'toxic' water/condensate being released into the groundwater in Broomfield before anyone either said anything or noticed and acted?  Contamination and  sampling analysis are said to be underway and will determine VOCs.

Why aren't pressure gauges, and various monitoring methods employed?  WTF, just ban fracking altogether! Clean Air and Clean Natural Resources are all that we need to survive!

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906. SPILLS AND RELEASES

a. General. Spills/releases of E&P waste, including produced fluids, shall be controlled and contained immediately upon discovery to protect the environment, public health, safety, and welfare, and wildlife resources . Impacts resulting from spills/releases shall be investigated and cleaned up as soon as practicable. The Director may require additional activities to prevent or mitigate threatened or actual significant adverse environmental impacts on any air, water, soil or biological resource, or to the extent necessary to ensure compliance with the concentration levels in Table 910-1, with consideration to WQCC ground water standards and classifications.

b. Reportable spills and reporting requirements for spills/releases.

(1) Spills/releases of E&P waste or produced fluid exceeding five (5) barrels, including those contained within lined or unlined berms, shall be reported on COGCC Spill/Release Report, Form 19.

(2) Spills/releases which exceed twenty (20) barrels of an E&P waste shall be reported on COGCC Spill/Release Report, Form 19, and shall also be verbally reported to the Director as soon as practicable, but not more than twenty-four (24) hours after discovery.

(3) Spills/releases of any size which impact or threaten to impact any waters of the state, residence or occupied structure, livestock, or public byway shall be reported on COGCC Spill/Release Report, Form 19, and shall also be verbally reported to the Director as soon as practicable, but not more than twenty-four (24) hours, after discovery.

(4) Spills/releases of any size which impact or threaten to impact any surface water supply area shall be reported to the Director and to the Environmental Release/Incident Report Hotline (1-877-518-5608). Spills and releases that impact or threaten a surface water intake shall be verbally reported to the emergency contact for that facility immediately after discovery.

(5) For all reportable spills, operators shall submit a Spill/Release Report, Form 19, within ten (10) days after discovery. An 8 1/2 x 11 inch topographic map showing the governmental section and location of the spill shall be included. Such report shall also include information relating to initial mitigation, site investigation, and remediation. The Director may require additional information.

(6) Chemical spills and releases shall be reported in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, including the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, the Oil Pollution Act, and the Clean Water Act, as applicable.

c. Surface owner notification and consultation. The operator shall notify the affected surface owner or the surface owner’s appointed tenant of reportable spills as soon as practicable, but not more than twenty-four (24) hours, after discovery. The operator also shall make good faith efforts to notify and consult with the affected surface owner, or the surface owner’s appointed tenant, prior to commencing operations to remediate E&P waste from a spill/release in an area not being utilized for oil and gas operations.

d. Remediation of spills/releases. When threatened or actual significant adverse environmental impacts on any air, water, soil or other environmental resource from a spill/release exists or when necessary to ensure compliance with the concentration levels in Table 910-1, with consideration to WQCC ground water standards and classifications, the Director may require operators to submit a Site Investigation and Remediation Workplan, Form 27. Such spills/releases shall be remediated in accordance with Rules 909. and 910.

e. Spill/release prevention.

(1) Secondary containment . Secondary containment that was constructed before May 1, 2009 on federal land, or before April 1, 2009 on other land, shall comply with the rules in effect at the time of construction. Secondary containment constructed on or after May 1, 2009 on federal land, or on or after April 1, 2009 on other land shall be constructed or installed around all tanks containing oil, condensate, or produced water with greater than 3,500 milligrams per liter (mg/l) total dissolved solids (TDS) and shall be sufficient to contain the contents of the largest single tank and sufficient freeboard to contain precipitation. Secondary containment structures shall be sufficiently impervious to contain discharged material. Operators are also subject to tank and containment requirements under Rules 603. and 604. This requirement shall not apply to water tanks with a capacity of fifty (50) barrels or less.

(2) Spill/release evaluation . Operators shall determine the cause of a spill/release, and, to the extent practicable, shall implement measures to prevent spills/releases due to similar causes in the future. For reportable spills, operators shall submit this information to the Director on the Spill/Release Report, Form 19, within ten (10) days after discovery of the spill/release.