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Department of Ecology News Release - October 28, 2010
10-292
BELLINGHAM – The state Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard have wrapped up their response to a diesel fuel leak from an underground pipeline at the ConocoPhillips Ferndale Refinery. Ecology will continue investigating the cause of the leak, determining the actual volume of fuel spilled, and monitoring ConocoPhillips’ cleanup.
Diesel fuel leaked from a six-inch underground diesel pipeline that runs from an above-ground tank to a truck-loading area. Initial estimates are that 10,500 gallons of diesel leaked from the pipe, ran through ditches and into a stormwater retention pond on refinery property.
No diesel spilled into marine waters.
The pond is not part of the refinery’s treated industrial wastewater system. It collects stormwater runoff from roadways and undeveloped wooded areas and drains to the Strait of Georgia. Pipes leading out of the pond were plugged, and responders used absorbent materials to prevent any diesel from escaping the pond. Responders were able to collect diesel from the surface of the pond. Crews are standing by with pumps and vacuum systems to make sure the pond doesn’t overflow if it rains.
As a prevention measure, protective boom was deployed just offshore west of the refinery.
ConocoPhillips stopped the flow to the pipeline Wednesday and used vacuum trucks and skimmers to remove diesel fuel from the retention pond. Vacuum trucks recovered an estimated 4,000 gallons of diesel.
ConocoPhillips personnel will continue excavating the pipe in the area of the leak and replacing the damaged section of pipe. They also will remove contaminated soil. Cleanup is expected to continue for up to a week. For more information and photos of the initial response effort: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/incidents/ConocoPhillipsSpill/ConocoPhillipsSpill.html
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Contacts:
Katie Skipper, Department of Ecology media relations; 360-715-5205 desk, 360-510-0682 cell, katie.skipper@ecy.wa.gov
U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Puget Sound, 206-217-6002
Jeff Callender, ConocoPhillips public affairs and communications, 360-384-8550, jeff.callender@conocophillips.com
For More Information: ConocoPhillips spill at Ferndale, incident page
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
