O&G Spill of the Day - Noble Energy Would Like to Claim Confidentiality Protection for the Information Submitted

WELD COUNTY, COLORADO

Date Rec'd:	8/16/2011	Report taken by:	BOB CHESSON
DocNum:	2215382	API number:	05-123 -16733	Facility ID:	248931

Operator Information

Operator:	NOBLE ENERGY PRODUCTION INC	Oper. No.	10120
Address:	1625 BROADWAY STE 2200 ATTN: TED BROWN DENVER , CO 80202
Phone:	(303 )389-3600	Fax:	(303 )595-7403
Operator Contact:	TODD CULLUM

Description of Spill:

Date of Incident:	8/13/2011
Type of Facility:	TANK BATTERY
Well Name/No.	HERMAN L 32-3	Fac. Name/No.
County Name:	WELD
qtrqtr: NWSW section: 32 township: 3N range: 66W meridian: 6

Volumes spilled and recovered (bbls)
Oil spilled:	Recvrd:
Water spilled: 0	Recvrd: 0
Other spilled:	Recved:
GW Impact? Y (ground water) Surface water impact? N Contained within berm? Y
Area and vertical extent of spill: - X -
Current land use: AGRICULTURE
Weather conditions: CLEAR, HOT
Soil/Geology description OTERO SANDY LOAM
Distance in feet to nearest surface water: 110
Depth to shallowest GW:
Wetlands: 220	Buildings: 1250
Livestock:	Water Wells: 1330
Cause of spill:
EQUIPMENT FAILURE
Immediate Response:
PUMPER SHUT THE WELLS IN AND CALLED FOR A VAC TRUCK TO REMOVE THE OIL THAT WAS STILL IN THE TANK.
Emergency Pits:
N/A
How extent determined:
EXCAVATION OF IMPACT WILL BE DELINEATED WITH HANBY FIELD TEST KIT AND LAB CONFIRMATION SAMPLES WILL BE COLLECTED.
Further Remediation
IMPACTED SOILS WILL BE EXCAVATED AND TAKEN TO THE BUFFALO RIDGE LANDFILL IN KEENESBURG, CO.
Prevent Problem:
THE 300 BBL OIL TANK WILL BE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH ANOTHER 300 BBL TANK.
Detailed Description:
THE 300 BBL OIL PRODUCTION TANK DEVELOPED A SMALL LEAK IN THE FLOOR OF THE TANK.

This leads us to ask the question: "Does Noble Energy really believe that they are that 'noble' to request confidentiality when reporting a spill/incident report to a State agency that publishes their data in a public access database?" 

Come on now, get with the program boys and stop spilling 'toxic waste.' The day you don't have any spill incident reports you'll be begging the press to give you accolades.  Oh wait- you already were given the Environmental Award from COGCC but yet you appear in the COGCC's database time after time.

The 15th annual selections were announced Aug 3rd 2011 at the Colorado Oil and Gas Association's annual conference. One of the environmental protection category winners was: Noble Energy Inc. -- Employed closed-loop systems at all 600 wells drilled statewide in 2010. The move has eliminated reserve pits, reduced land use impacts, sped up land reclamation and resolved concerns associated with hard to dispose of pit liners.

Question:  What were your methods to 'resolve concerns associated with hard to dispose of pit liners?'

It appears the pit liners toxic. Are they?  What waste managment facilty(ies) takes 'toxic pit liners?' Do they have permits to accept toxic waste? 



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